Nightingale
by nexusmaster
Summary: Used to be 'Untouched'. Every night, I have the same dream. Every night I see that same man. It was fated the moment she heard the gentle hymn of the music box. Now she is a drift in the steady flow of fate's hand. Main pairing YurixEstelle
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I saw a YurixEstelle picture one day on gelbooru and it made my creative instincts go wild. I also listened to "Untouched" by the Veronicas to help the mood. Anyway, I won't say this is a one-shot, but if you really want, I'll continue it. Anyway, let's begin.**

* * *

**Untouched**

I always have this same dream. Night after night, the same images play in my mind. It always goes back to my mother's precious music box, the last thing she left to me before she passed away from illness. I play every night before I go to sleep, calming myself with the familiar tune. It's light melody always made me drift to worlds far off, drifting to gentle dreams, and to _him_.

I've always been called a girl of imagination. It's because I love to read books. Any size fits my taste, any style, any subject satisfies me. I even sit down and read children's books sometimes. It was my mother that got me into it. Every night, she'd come and read to me when I was a little girl. Her soft voice and passionate reading made it my favorite time of the day. Even when she was sick, she still managed to read to me.

Playing that music box helps me keep her in my memories. Every time its melody strikes my ears, I feel as if I am small again, and my mother is reading to me. I can't stop playing it, so I can't stop having that very dream again and again. Honestly, I don't think I want to stop having that dream.

It always starts the same way. Seconds after I close my eyes, I fins myself running through the castle. No, it's more like I'm searching through the castle. My steps are graceful, my body feels light, and I can feel the moonlight on my skin. That's what makes this dream so striking, I can feel _everything_. I'm tempted to say I'm awake in these dreams, like something in a storybook.

Then, at the same time as always, I go to the statues of the Child of the Full Moon in perfect sequence. Finally, I go to the large hallway just outside the throne room, close to the prison cells. I stop abruptly, my dress swaying slightly at the sudden loss of motion. Standing still, the moonlight continued to flood in the hallway, bathing my body. I could feel the carpet of the rug against my bare feet.

Affixed to my pink hair are cat-like ears. They are always black with white puffs of fur near the base. It really is one of the cutest things I've seen personally. I'm wearing a light white dress with a bow behind my back. The excess ribbon fell along with the black tail that gently swayed back and forth.

_Gong_

_Gong_

_Gong_

The deep chime of the old clocks through the castle echo through the halls. As always, it is midnight. I look around again, searching for something, for someone. Then, as the last chime of the grandfather clocks finishes its echo... _he_ appears.

He always steps out of the shadows, wearing them around his solid form. He is neither bulky, nor thin. His lips form a smooth smirk as he approaches me, his hand slowly rising to brush my cheek with the lightness of a feather. His hands are calloused, different from my soft skin. I love the sharp contrast. My eyes travel upwards to look at his long, black hair. It flowed down to his shoulders, proudly flaunting his head's crown. Atop his head are two black bunny ears. Strangely, it fit him perfectly.

My mouth moves, but no words are heard from my lips. His lips part to reply to my breathy greeting, as his smirk grew in amusement. Again, his hand brushes my cheek and goes to my lips. Lightly, he brushes his thumb over my lips. It's barely even noticeable, but I can feel the heat of his hand against my face. My pale cheeks grow pink, earning a larger smirk than before.

Then, slowly, he leaned towards me. He pulls me close to him and hovers his lips just in front of my forehead. Tilting my chin upwards, he softly kisses my skin. A ripple of warmth radiated from my forehead, almost destroying the strength in my knees, but he does not let me fall. Instead, I mold deeper into his embrace.

Teasingly, he moved to my nose and planted a feathery kiss. He chuckles when I bite my lip in anticipation, wanting him to kiss me just a few centimeter lower. Again, he teases me by kissing my cheek, his thumb on my lips to stifle a whine. My lips lightly move against his calloused thumb, and no sound comes out again.

Finally, as if answering my unheard plea, he brushed his lips against mine. I can feel the surge of feeling, an indescribable warm feeling. He's still teasing me, using the very tip of his tongue to lick my bottom lip. It's almost cruel what he does. Having his fill of fun, he at last enveloped my lips in his, just as the clocks chime yet again.

_Gong_

_Gong_

_Gong_

....and then I wake up. I sit up in my bed every night after those dreams, his warmth lingering against my skin. I can still feel his kisses, and I blush deeply. Dispite th strangeness of it all, I can never stop myself from smiling.

**A/N: Again, I'm not too sure of what I'll do with this. For now, it can stand as a complete one-shot, but I can take it further if people are interested. Leave a review, and thank you for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Due to my good mood, positive responses, and a potentially good narrative in my mind, I decided to continue this story. I'll rename it 'Nightingale' and I will offer a small summary so people will know what to expect... sort of. Usual pairing (same pairings as Black Brigade for those familiar). **

* * *

**Summary**:

The light chimes. That gentle melody that floats through the still air. It is the sound of the music box left by her mother. Little did she know of its origin. One night, Estellise Sidos Heurassein finds herself in a very strange castle. She is told to follow the strange creature named "The Nightingale" to not only save this dark place, but to find her way home. However, after meeting Yuri "Black Jack" Lowell, will she want to return home?

* * *

**CH. 2: Night of Fate**

* * *

_That light tune_

_That enchanted melody_

_To her heart, it is the only remedy_

* * *

The country of Zaphias is a bright and peaceful place. There is no war, no famine, no hate, and its rulers are just. There is truly nothing out of the ordinary in this country, save for the abundance of smiles and happiness. This why she only showed such a face of longing in the secrecy of her room.

With her lips forming a gentle pout, eyes cast longingly to the blue sky, she sits at her window. Her elegant dress falls perfectly down her small frame, gently complimenting her emerald eyes. These eyes that usually sparkle with life are now filled with a mixture of confusion and sickness. She could not say why, or who for that matter, but she felt sick because of that strange man in her dreams. She had given him a name by now, though she dare not utter it out loud.

She feared the frailty of her situation. She told no one of her vivd dreams, of the shadowed man who kissed her so heatedly. Her thin fingers gently ran over her rosy lips, still feeling the slightest tingle of the kiss.

Such a thing should frighten her. Such a strange dream should make her cry out for her father to do something, call someone to help. However, she did not feel fear. Instead, she felt thrilled by the strangeness of it all. Simply thinking of this shaded figure made her heart race. Was it love? She could not say for sure. Did she want it to be love? She feared what that would mean. She is a noble and a noblewoman at that. Venturing into dreams for unknown love was not her place. Her place was to be pampered until finding a fitting man to marry. Her "lover" was to be another noble, someone with wealth and status.

Knock Knock

A soft rap on her white door brought her mind from the clouds and back into her room. "Lady Estellise, your father waits for your presence at the table." The soft voice of one the maids spoke through the door.

"I'll be down shortly!" Estellise replied through the door. She glanced to the sky once more. "Why do I feel... sad and happy at the same time?" She left this paradox to the wind, now focusing on her waiting father. She quickly combed her short, pink hair and started out of her room. Greeting the servants along the way, Estelle found herself in the dining hall of her family's manor. "Good morning father."

"Ah, there you are Estellise. Come, have a seat and we will have some breakfast." Her father smiled kindly at her. His hair was white, having prematurely lost its vibrant pigmentation. Though she asked on occasion, he would not answer what the color of his hair was in his younger years. He'd always answer in some funny way. He's goofy like that.

Estellise elegantly walked towards his side and placed a kiss on his cheek. "Are you going to see the Royal Council today?" She obediently took a seat near him, wanting to cherish the time she had to be close to him. Her emerald eyes glanced towards the beautiful portrait on the wall behind him.

Placing his hand on her smaller one, her father smiled gently, "Yes, I'll need to speak with His Highness about the current state of the country's economy. We're fine now, but we'll need to make choices for the future."

"How is Ioder doing?" Estellise aimed to make light conversation as the servants placed her breakfast before her and her father.

"Now Estellise, he is the king now. Please address him with respect." Her father lightly scolded, only half serious.

Estellise smiled as she began eating her plate of eggs and toast, "Ioder will always be my beloved cousin father. I still remember when we used to play in the wheat fields in the countryside."

"A pleasant memory indeed." Her father allowed a moment for memories, eating his own meal quietly. After a few moments of reflection, he gently placed his fork down and sipped at his fresh cup of tea. Estelle instantly knew this pattern to mean that his next words were of great importance. "Estellise, on the subject of Ioder." He placed his hand on hers again, "I believe it is time for us to consider a husband for you."

She tried to hide it, but her body still stiffened ever so slightly. No response left her lips, though her gentle smile lowered a little. Her natural glow of happiness was replaced by a false shroud of pleasantry that hid the inner sorrow now creeping through her.

"I know I promised not to decide it for you, but please allow me to help you find a good man." Lord Heurassein started, trying not to disturb Estelle too much. He knew the subject was touchy, especially for his only daughter.

"How?" Her simple question sounded, if not a tad hurt, a little curious.

Her father patted her hand, "I invited a noble's son to join us for dinner in three nights."

"Hm, that sounds... nice." Estellise felt her eyes grow hot and sting at their root. She knew her now distant speech hurt her father, but she couldn't help it. The very idea of a life without true love and warmth frightened her more than the greatest nightmare.

Her father was indeed unsettled by her tone. "Estellise-" He attempted to reach out to her, to reason with her, but he was interrupted.

"Excuse me Lord Heurassein, but the carriage is here to escort you to the palace." One of their butlers bowed humbly.

Her father looked to the servant and then to his uncomfortable daughter. "We'll talk more later," He leaned towards her and placed a loving kiss on her cheek, "please give it some thought." His words sounded genuine, that much Estellise could hear. With a nobleman's posture, Lord Heurassein stood up from the table and started out, "I should be back tonight, please don't feel obligated to wait for my return. We'll talk in the morning."

Ah the night. Her thoughts were suddenly lost in her dreams once more as she heard the large doors of the dining room close. Her eyes grew distant, her mind dwelling on the man she sees in her dreams. Was he her salvation, the man she was destined to love? It seemed like something in the storybooks, something of fantasy.

The rest of the day was spent the same way Estellise spent most of her days. In the early hours she would go and speak with the servants. They are all interesting people, some having moved from every corner of the country. It always thrilled her to hear their stories, or to even listen to their slightly different accents and mannerisms. Even the gruff chef in the kitchen, famous for being a former sailor and mean as a hungry dog, amused her.

By mid-day, Estellise would find herself in the gardens. Unknown to her father, she'd help Belle, an older maid, do the laundry and speak with her about her family that lives far away. In the waning hours of the day, Estelle would go to the study and read an interesting book. Any book satisfied her, even the simple ones.

After reading through a good four chapters of the interesting tale of Harold Potfield, Estellise started to settle in for the night. She ate a quick dinner, knowing her father would be late because of his meeting with the Royal Council. He was a busy man, and she loved him for his determination to help the welfare of their nation. It didn't mean she doesn't miss him often, but she was always an understanding girl.

"Goodnight Lady Estellise, I pray your dreams be pleasant tonight." One of the servants wished her a good night, bowing humbly. The other servants said similar well wishes as she made her way to her room once more.

Finally in the sanctity of her room once more, Estellise let out a long sigh. Living such a life, as well off as it is, somehow didn't fit her. She longed for the adventures in her books, friends like those in the epic tales of bravery, and a destiny that would give her fulfillment. However, such a longing for a noblewoman like her was not but a dream, a fantasy.

"Mother," The word escaped her lips without another thought. Her mother always gave her hope for true happiness. Her father and mother were lovers since childhood, destined for marriage since they knew what love was.

Out of sheer habit, Estellise walked over to her dresser and gently ran her hands along the simple music box that once belonged to her mother. It was elegantly decorated, yet still small enough to fit in one hand. The top had the loveliest image of a small white bird, a nightingale. Carefully, Estellise turned the small key, winding the music box. The moment her fingers left the key, a quiet song began to play.

She savored the tune, closing her eyes and let her mind drift. It always brought her peace, this gentle melody. Then, just as she felt her lips tug upwards in a smile... the music stopped. Her eyes opened, and she looked down to the music box. It far too early for it to need winding again, so why did it stop?

"Trrchee, trr, trr, trrchee!" A sudden sound came from behind Estellise. She jumped, and turned around at the sudden noise. Her expression of shock soon changed to wonder when she saw the source of the sweet sound. "Trrchee!" A small nightingale, enveloped in a white light, sat comfortably on her windowsill. It flapped its wings quickly before singing once more.

Estellise carefully approached the small bird, hands held out. "Aw, are you lost?" She sweetly cooed, making sure to gently hold the bird when it hopped onto her hand. "How did you get in here?" Her eyes wandered to her closed window. How did this beautiful bird get in her room?

"Cheep, cheep, trrchee!" Suddenly, the nightingale spread its wings and hopped out of her hands. In a rush of light, the bird grew large, enveloping Estellise in its wings.

Crying out in surprise, Estellise hid her eyes from the intense light. The bird's song continued to resound in her ears, mixed with the gentle melody of her mother's music box. She felt a sudden rush of wind surround her, as if she was falling from a high place. All the while, she heard a faint voice whisper in her ear.

_Finally, I have found you._

* * *

* * *


	3. Chapter 3

**CH.3: Black Jack**

* * *

_That lion's pride_

_That mind of a wolf_

_That night when their fates so thunderously collided_

* * *

Usually, when waking up in an unfamiliar place, someone is to be afraid, perhaps confused. Well, aside from the fact that Estellise is not normal, she is also quite familiar with her surroundings. The cool floors, the calm air, the comforting darkness, and the smooth moonlight. All of it was exactly as it was in her dreams. Even her cat-like ears and cute tail were exactly where they were in the dream.

The questions going through her mind wasn't where she was. Her question was why she was brought to this place. She didn't fall asleep, that she knew very well. She clearly remembered the Nightingale and its fabulous light. Why?

"Trrchee," A familiar cry brought her attention upwards. The Nightingale sang once more, circling over Estellise's head to catch her attention. When it was sure she was focused on it, the glowing bird darted towards a shaded hallway.

Without really thinking, Estellise got to her feet and ran after the strange Nightingale. While she ran, Estellise noticed how her body felt much lighter than usual. On top of that, she felt as if she has seen this dark hallway before. This mystery was put aside when the Nightingale stopped flying and perched itself atop an old Grandfather clock. "What are you trying to show me?" Estellise asked, looking around curiously. If her dreams were any clue, then she should be lighting the beacons of the angelic statues in the castle.

"Trr, trrchee." The Nightingale sang once more, and flapped its wings.

Estellise blinked in confusion before her eyes fell to the clock. Did it want her to look at the clock? Perhaps it wants her to touch it? Deciding to experiment, Estellise started with examining the grandfather clock. The design seemed aged, yet well kept. The hands seemed to move in time, and she is sure it will bellow when the hour comes.

The Nightingale prodded again with its song. Estellise figured it wanted her to do more than just look at the clock. Reaching out, Estellise touched the grandfather clock and yelped at the results. With the faintest touch, the clock clicked and split into three sections. Mechanically, the clock folded back, revealing a passage way.

Singing once more, the Nightingale took off into the passage, and revealed a staircase with its light. Estellise quickly followed without a second thought. It felt natural to follow the strange bird, but why?

The dark passageway seemed to go on for miles, as Estellise continued to follow the light of the Nightingale. She took another step into the passageway and felt herself fall through the shadows. In moments, she found herself in a strange chamber with the Nightingale circling above. "Ouch," She frowned at the pain in her knees and elbow.

"Trrchee!" The bird sang again and perched atop a strange structure in the middle of the room.

Estellise looked around curiously. The room astonished her. Unlike the hallway above, she has never seen anything like the design of this chamber. The floor is a deep crimson, with gold trim running along the walls. The walls themselves are made of a dark marble, and a thin layer of mist hung around the room. Coupled with the strange crystals forming in various places, Estelle could hardly contain herself. It's like something from a book.

"Trr, trr!" The Nightingale called for her attention. Estellise looked to the bird and gasped at the structure it chose as a perch. It was a flat slab of stone with a person stuck to it with a strange, red substance.

Captivated by the strange scene, Estellise approached the strange structure. Her quick wit told her that it is some sort of seal, and the person inside it is one of two things: an old royal, or a dangerous criminal. She touched her fingers to the red substance. It felt like wax, but firm like metal. "How interesting." She looked up to get a better look at the person and gasped. Emerald eyes wide with surprise, she put her hands to her mouth.

A waterfall of black hair hung from a pale, bowed head. The person's face is relaxed in slumber (or death but Estellise didn't want to think of that). Estelle knew the person's strikingly handsome features instantly. It is the man from her dreams.

"Its you." Estellise whispered in shock. For what felt like hours, she simply looked up at his slumbering face. Surrounded by his long, black hair, she could feel her cheeks warm at the sight. Her heart gave a hard beat, as if to snap her out of the trance. Feeling that he should be free, she tried to pry the red substance off of him. However, it held strong, as if by magic, to the slab imprisoning him.

After a few more useless attempts, Estellise huffed. "How am I supposed to break him out?" She craned her neck and frowned up at him. She wanted to see his eyes. Overcome by such a foreign feeling, she reached up, just to touch him. Lightly, her fingertips brushed his cheeks.

Boing

"H-Huh!?" Estellise looked up past his face and to the top of his head. Out of the river of black hair, two, long, black bunny ears had sprung out. The shocked girl blinked, not believing what she is seeing. "E-Ears?" The moment she spoke, she leaped back when the red substance began to crack. With a thud, the young man dropped from his cracked restraints, followed by a simple sword.

_Finally, the story can begin_

Estellise looked up when she heard the strange voice. A chill through her body, and the shrill cry of the Nightingale, alerted Estelle to the presence of another. Looking around, Estellise found that the mist has turned black and is swirling around in three places.

_Keep faith, you have alerted the darkness to your arrival_

"The darkness?" Estellise echoed and kept her eyes on the swirling black fog. A trio of low growls coupled the fog taking shape. The now frightened girl stepped backwards, nearing the motionless body of the man in her dreams. The shadows took on thin, dog-like bodies, with long claws and sharp, black teeth.

Estellise felt herself shiver at the deep plunge in the room's temperature, and shutter on the hungry gaze of the shadowed beasts. When she saw the beasts pounce towards her, she reached back anything she could use to defend herself.

"Azure Edge!" A strong voice cried out, as a wave of azure energy killed one shadow and blew the other two back. Estellise stared in shock when the owner of such an attack stepped in front of her.

_A fine entrance, but can he overcome the guard of this prison?_

At that moment, the remaining black mist swirled together into a larger cloud of fog. The new shadow took on the form of a large man with chains wrapped about his wrists and torso. With a loud roar, the large shadow barreled towards Estellies and her savior.

He turned and scooped Estellise up, "What a thing to wake up to." He muttered to himself and rolled out of the way of the giant. He released Estellise and rolled back towards the giant, stopping near its legs to slice at them. He struck the giant's calves twice before driving his fist into the wounds. As the giant screamed in pain, he leaped backwards. However, he forgot about his enemy's long reach, and received a club-like blow. The monster's large arm sent him flying into the wall, "Ack,"

Estellise flinched at the pained sound and rushed over to him, "A-Are you alright!?"

"That's what I get for taking a nap before a fight." He brushed off her concerned hands and stood up from the wall, "You might want to get out of here," He looked down at her with a smirk, "this might get a bit out of hand."

"No," Estellise shook her head, "I can't just leave you to fight alone. Allow me to help!" She looked at him with pleading eyes, and received a confused expression in return.

He looked around, a bit taken back by her response, "Okay," He looked at her with a smug smirk, "where's your weapon?"

"U-Umm,"

He was about to tell her to leave again, but instead shoved her aside when he saw the giant rush towards them once more. Much to his annoyance, the giant decided to pursue him right after it had hit the wall. He ducked under the massive fists of the giant, making sure to watch its hands in case it tried to grab him.

Estellise watched helplessly as he struggled against the giant. Without her father's knowledge, a few of their butlers had taught Estellise the basics of handling a sword. They figured it necessary in case someone tries to harm her in the future. What little training she received instilled the want of a weapon in this situation, "There must be something I can do." As if to answer her call, she felt a heavy tap at her foot.

Estellise looked down at saw a large chain slightly shifting at her feet. She followed the chain up to the giant and saw that it had wrapped itself around one of its legs in the struggle. An idea instantly struck her, but she had to rethink a part of it. She isn't nearly strong enough to trip the giant with the chain, "I need something sturdy."

From the side of the room, the once slumbering young man ducked under another fist. "This thing just isn't slowing down." He rolled between its legs and circled around it again, hoping to confuse the giant shadow. On his second time around, he spotted Estellise rushing towards his former prison, a large chain in her hands. "What is she up to?" He followed the chain up to the giant's leg and blinked. It's a good idea, he had to give it to her.

Estellise pressed her lips together and managed to wrap the chain around the base of the large stone slab. When she finished, she braced herself. Even with the extra leverage, it will take a solid grip to make the giant trip.

"Don't just stand there!" He taunted the giant and waved his sword. The large shadow growled before stomping after him. However, before it could take a large lunge for him, its foot got caught on its thick chain. It grumbled in shock before crying out, as it toppled over and slammed into the cold floor. "You're gone!" He leaped into the air, spun forward, and brought his sword down on the giant's head.

In a puff of smoke and a bright purple light, the giant vanished, leaving a pile of ashes in its place. Estelle dropped her knees at the sight, both from astonishment and relief. Her face remained agape until her lips slowly turned upwards into a victorious smile, "W-We finished it off!" She felt like leaping up with joy, but contained herself.

"I finished it off." He dusted off his shoulders and sighed. "Good idea about the chain though, you saved my skin." With a large smile, he approached Estelle and held up his open hand.

Confused, Estellise just stared at him. Did he want a hand shake? Then why is he holding it up close to his head? Deciding to experiment, Estelle poked his palm. She saw him give her a strange look before he chuckled. "W-What? Was that wrong?" She blushed when his chuckles became laughter.

He continued to laugh for a few more moments before shaking his head, "You really do meet all kinds." He gently took her hand and opened it. After he was sure Estelle was following, her slapped her palm with his, "There, call it a 'victory hand shake'."

A feeling of amazement flooded Estellise. Her emerald eyes dropped to her hand, as another smile grew on her face. "A victory hand shake,"

"Uh... yeah," He could hardly believe her reaction. You'd think she just found a jewel or something. "By the way," He spoke over his shoulder as he turned for the door, "my name's Yuri."

Estellise couldn't help but frown when she heard this. "The name I had for you was cuter." She mumbled under breath. Her eyes widened from their drooping state when she saw one of Yuri's black, rabbit ears twitch.

"Huh, you say something?"

"Uh n-no, I um," Estellise cleared her throat and bowed politely, "my name is Estellise, it's a pleasure to meet you Mister Yuri, and thank you for saving me."

Yuri looked around the room uncomfortably, "Alright, three things wrong with what you just said." He walked back over to her, "One, drop the 'mister' thing, it's just Yuri. Two, as I recall, you're the one who released me, and helped take down that giant, so thank you. Three," He paused to give her a playful smirk, "I'd rather call you Estelle."

"W-What did you-" Estelle put a finger to her lips, recalling the shortened version of her name, "Estelle," She blinked towards the ground, "Estelle,"

Yuri, oblivious to the state he had put her in, looked around the room again. "I wonder where he is. I doubt they caught him after it took them a whole day to even find me in this castle." He tapped his chin before shrugging, "Oh well, he'll turn up eventually." He sighed and turned to Estelle, "Hey, just what is a person like you doing in a place like this anyway?"

Estelle broke away from her examination of her new nickname and looked at Yuri, "I followed that little bird down here." She pointed towards the door, where the Nightingale is perched above the frame.

"Bird?" Yuri followed her gaze, but saw nothing, "What bird?"

"The one right above the door. It's hard to miss in this dark room." Estelle looked questioningly to Yuri. Is there something wrong with his eyesight?

Yuri shook his head, "I don't see a bird here Estelle."

"Trrchee!" The Nightingale sang. The sharp noise caused Yuri's ears to perk.

Dark eyes sharply looking around, Yuri quickly pieced the puzzle together. He slowly turned to Estelle, "You mean to tell me that you can _see_ the Nightingale?"

"Yes," Estelle suddenly felt shy under his much heavier gaze, "is that a strange?"

Yuri slapped his forehead, "Why does my luck suck this bad?"

* * *

* * *

**A/N: Now Yuri has joined our lovely Estelle, and the mystery of this tale is just beginning. What lerks in the shadows, and why was Estelle brought to such a place? So many questions and so many people to meet. Until next time, please drop a review. Thank you for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4

**CH.4: Indeed Real**

* * *

_That smiling husk_

_That enchanted dusk_

_They say the most brilliant are the most unstable_

_It is yet another part of this winding fable_

* * *

It did not take long for Estelle to realize that this place is nothing like her dreams. Indeed her surroundings are dark, but she never saw such a poisoned appearance to a castle. The white walls are covered with thin, black veins. At the base of either wall, some strange violet gel is caked against the it. Like the room before, a thin layer of mist hung over the floor, but it lacks the hollow, black color from before.

"What are you staring at?"

"Nothing."

Aside from her surroundings, this man that she saw so often is nothing like in her dreams. Is it possible for someone who seems so... what's the word... _sarcastic_, to be a heated kisser? All these thoughts ran through Estelle's mind as she followed Yuri through the lower levels of the castle. Due to the sheer strangeness of it, her eyes just could not look away from his long, black, rabbit ears.

"Is there something on my face?"

"No."

"Then why are you staring at me?"

"I'm sorry."

....

....

....

"Estelle?"

"Yes?"

"Seriously, what's with the staring?"

"Nothing."

Absentmindedly, her hand went up to touch her cat-like ears, and then her tail. Is it normal for people to have animal features in this place? She started running the possibilities through her head, and giggled at the results.

"Hmm?" Yuri looked back at her in question, "Now what?"

Estelle shook her head, "It's nothing, I just had a humorous thought, that's all."

"Uh huh," Yuri slowly faced forward once more, "are we still going the right way?" He had stopped hearing the Nightingale a few minutes ago, of course the echo in the hallway didn't help much.

"Yes, its still going forward." Estelle looked at all the doors they had passed since leaving the room that once imprisoned Yuri. Some looked like a large animal had slammed into it, while others looks solidly locked for all eternity. "Are you familiar with this castle?"

Yuri shrugged, "I know where to take my lefts and rights."

Estelle frowned, "You never give a straight answer do you?"

"Yes Estelle," Yuri looked back at her with a friendly smirk, "I know my way around the castle." He chuckled at her pout, "Straight enough for you?"

"Somehow, I feel like you're making fun of me." Estelle's pout deepened.

Yuri shrugged, "Nope." He continued on without another word. The pair steadily made their way through the lower level of the castle until finally spotting a lit lantern on the wall. The eerie blue flame illuminated a set of stairs.

The Nightingale tweeted once more before shooting upwards, into the darkness that hung away from the lantern. Estelle quickly followed using the stairs, oblivious to the look on Yuri's face. He didn't say it out loud – and highly doubts he'll ever say it out loud – but he feels uneasy. While he followed Estelle up the stairs, he vaguely recalled why he had been imprisoned. "I should probably ditch her for her own good." His advance sharply stopped when he bumped into his petite companion, "Estelle?"

Ear pressed to the closed door at the top of the stairs, Estelle waved him over, "Listen, do you hear that?" The cat ear pressed to the door twitched at the sound.

"Hmm," Yuri listened closely, "sounds like the clunky noise of running knights."

"Knights!?" Estelle's eyes brightened despite Yuri's dry tone, "Perfect, they can help us find a way out."

Yuri resisted the instinct to curse sharply, "Estelle wait!"

It was too late. Estelle grabbed the handle of the door and swung it open. However, she quickly gasped and leaped back against Yuri when a low blur passed by. Before she could utter a question, the noisy knights rushed past the door as well, nearly fumbling over each other.

"There it is, get it!"

"That blasted hound, it stole my last piece of jerky!"

"Screw your jerky. It's that man's accomplice, we must capture the beast!"

Yuri smirked through his shock and stepped out into the hallway. If his guess is right, then it would be a good idea to follow the clumsy men in armor. "At least he kept himself busy."

"Come on Yuri, we have to help them!" Estelle recklessly yelled out his name and started rushing after the knights. The moment she did, however, the knights stopped in their tracks and turned around. Their target forgotten, the knights stared past Estelle and to the swordsman with his mouth agape. Estelle looked between the knights and Yuri, confused by the awkward silence, "Um-"

"It's Yuri 'Black Jack' Lowell!"

Yuri sighed, "Oh man, things are never easy."

"He's broken out of his prison! That's impossible!"

"Morning LaBlanc, I see you and the Tweedle Brigade are hard at work." Yuri scratched his ear and looked to the wall with an aloof expression.

The officer in the group of knights growled, "Black Jack Lowell, I see your time in imprisoned in the castle jails did nothing to dull that tongue of yours."

"Eh? J-Jail!?" Estelle looked back at Yuri in shock. He's a criminal?

"Just what is a Tweedle!?" Two voices chorused.

Yuri turned around, and ignored the pack of dog-eared knights, "I'm getting a little hungry, I wonder if they have anything good in the Dining Hall."

"Yuri, please don't be rude to the knights!" She looked to him sternly, "You're in enough trouble as it is." She frowned when he scratched his rabbit ear. "You're not going to behave, are you." Her frown deepened when Yuri yawned.

LaBlanc looked at Estelle and blinked. "I don't recall seeing a beautiful young lady with pink hair around here before." He looked back to his subordinates, "Have you ever seen her before?" He received multiple negative answers. "As I thought. So you had a girl sneak into the castle to free you." He looked at Yuri accusingly, "That's low, even for you Black Jack."

"If you're going to give a guy a nickname, try and be more original than Black Jack." Yuri quickly grabbed Estelle's hand and bolted in the opposite direction.

Estelle felt her head spin at the sudden development. She's in a dark castle, freed an alleged criminal, and is now labeled an accomplice. How did a simple night in her normal life end up becoming such a strange mess? Deciding that now isn't the time to ponder these things, she voiced a question, "Who were they chasing anyway?"

"You'll see." Yuri smirked and continued to run from their clunky pursuers.

"Where are we going?" She hoped somewhere brighter.

"I wasn't joking about being hungry." His smirk grew into an amused smile when he heard someone's stomach roar, "It seems you are too."

Estelle blushed, "Y-Yes I am. It seems all this excitement got to me." She looked away from him, and scolded herself for allowing such a thing to happen. A proper lady never makes bodily noises in front of people. It's rude. Her scolding ended when she heard a louder growl.

"Ugh, that's what a few months of imprisonment will do to a guy." Yuri rubbed his stomach. He didn't notice Estelle staring at him in shock. Isn't he embarrassed?

Again, Estelle pushed the thought aside. Later, she'll have to organize all that she's experienced in a matter of an hour. She sharply yelped when Yuri pulled her into a left turn, and pressed her against himself as they hid in a shadowed corner. A few breaths later, LaBlanc and his knights clunked by, unaware of their hiding spot.

"That was close." Yuri stepped out of the shadowed corner and stretched. He turned to walk in the opposite direction, but stopped when he noticed Estelle staring at him. The look in her eyes told him why she stood in his way. He sighed, "Look Estelle-"

"It was a misunderstanding!" Yuri blinked at her sharp interruption. Estelle's face softened, as if she knew that, in some way, she is lying to herself. "You were imprisoned because of a misunderstanding, so it's fine." She met his dark eyes, "Right?"

Yuri stared at her with mixed feelings. A part of him wanted to clear this all up, but another didn't want to risk getting her involved. Another part wanted to follow her, and by extension, the Nightingale. A dog's bark broke his trance. Turning, he spotted a four-legged figure sauntering over to him, "Hey Repede, so you're awake too."

"Woof!" Estelle gasped at the hound that approached Yuri. Its dark blue coat almost made him invisible in the shadows that danced in the hallway. When he stepped into the light of the lanterns lining the wall, she could see his scared eye. She smiled at the pipe in its mouth. As if feeling eyes on him, Repede looked at Estelle.

"Repede, Estelle," Yuri motioned to the wide-eyed girl, "Estelle, Repede." He watched as Repede walked over to Estelle.

Estelle kneeled down to pet him, "Hello there Repede!" Her bright smile fell when Repede turned away from her hand and started down the hallway. She frowned, "Did I do something wrong?" Animals usually like her.

"That's funny," Yuri chuckled, "he usually likes women." His eyes dropped below Estelle's neck, "Maybe that's why."

Oblivious to his implication, Estelle tilted her head in confusion. "Maybe what is why?"

Yuri coughed, "Ahem, nothing, let's hit the Dining Hall."

Estelle frowned at his retreating back, "I missed something." The trio continued a short distance to the Dining Hall. All along the way, Estelle kept trying to get close to the rugged hound, only to be met with rejection. If she tried to walk next to Repede, he'd drop back to Yuri. If she tried to touch him, he'd weave away from her hand and yawn. It was as if Repede ignored her existence. Finally, they reached elegant doors to the Dining Hall.

What met Estelle's eyes caused her to take in a breath of astonishment. She is familiar with noble décor for Dining Halls, but this out-shined all she's ever seen. The floors and matching ivory walls were bathed in a warm light. Finely covered tables filled the floor, each nearly stretching the length of the room. On either side of the spacious Dining Hall, ivory steps led up to a second level. From her view, the second floor looked absent of tables, probably meant as a place for people to stand and socialize. The entire left wall was made of glass, allowing the sapphire moonlight to spill into the hall.

As if by magic, Yuri and Estelle's stomachs growled at the same time. It felt like a force had caused the rare moment, and caught the attention of a lone man in a butler's garb. He stared at the trio before a large grin formed on his face. Flicking his pointy mustache, he turned to the kitchen to their right, "We have a party of three!"

Before Yuri could voice a question, the kitchen door burst open to allow rows of butlers to waltz in. The perfectly aligned servers marched into the Dining Hall, each bellowing a low tune. The scene grew more interesting when maids descended the large staircases, humming a light tune themselves. In perfect sync, they joined the butlers between the long tables.

Estelle waited anxiously. She could feel the energy in the room. To her delight, the butlers and maids picked a partner and began dancing a number for them. A perfectly orchestrated series of twirls, smooth lifts, and jolly singing brought a huge smile to her face.

The kitchen doors opened once more, and a torrent of cooks came dancing into the large room. With butlers and maids twirling about them, the cooks carried their trays to one of the tables and set down the covered dishes. From one side to the other, they uncovered their trays and displayed the fresh food that seemed too large to fit in trays. With bright smiles, the cooks bowed and retreated back into the kitchen.

Yuri felt his eyebrow rise, while Estelle clapped gently in amusement. However, the show was not finished. A hush came over the butlers and maids, as they cleared a space at the head of the long table. In the cleared space, a man and a young woman stood side-by-side.

Estelle felt her heart leap when the white-haired butler tapped his feet on the smooth floor. On the third tap, his partner fell into his awaiting arm, and strongly spun when he twirled her. The young woman smoothly twirled to an unheard melody, and gracefully made her way to the other side of her partner. When she passed in front of him, he caught her in his arms.

Twirling her once again, he swiftly turned to the table and placed two silver candles on the table. The moment he set the second candle down, the young woman stopped spinning and fired a small fireball. The speck of flame shot across the both candles and lit them. Its task finished, the butler caught the flame and put it out on his tongue. With a bow, he motioned for them to sit, "Bon appetite."

"Well that was new." Yuri shrugged and made his way over to the table. He didn't recognize any faces, – though that white-haired butler looked familiar – so he didn't bother hiding his face or anything.

Repede quickly followed him, eyeing the steaming turkey leg. He stopped, however, when he heard light footsteps heading in another direction. Curious, he looked over to see Estelle making her way towards the young woman that lit the candles. His ears twitched with curiosity, but with a flick of his pipe, he ignored the issue.

Yuri, on the other hand, couldn't help but observe. No doubt Estelle will draw attention to herself in some way. Heck, he was surprised that she hasn't received a question about her pink hair yet. His attention shifted when he saw the white-haired butler heading his way. Again, his face seemed familiar, but Yuri couldn't place it. That is, until he saw a pair of wolf ears perk up in the moonlight.

On the other side of the Dining Hall, Estelle finally made her way over to the fire-spitting maid. She noticed that she had cat ears amongst her auburn hair, and her face looked less that pleased at the moment. Nevertheless, Estelle approached her with a friendly smile, "Um, excuse me."

"Huh," She turned her bored, green eyes to Estelle, "what is it?" A stern look from one of the senior butlers made her flinch, "I mean, how can I... be of service?" She looked on the verge of gagging at her polite tone.

"I just wanted to say that you were really good." Estelle looked at her with admiration, "I've never seen someone dance like that."

She shrugged, "Eh, it gets me free room and board." Yet another stern look changed her attitude, "Oh my, it was my pleasure to entertain you." Her smile looked awkwardly forced, but Estelle seemed oblivious to it.

"My name is Estellise, but please, call me Estelle." She raised her hand with a bright smile, and missed the strange look the girl gave her.

Uncomfortable, she glanced around, "Uh, my name's Rita?" She continued to look around awkwardly when Estelle kept her hand up, "Um, listen, I have a few things to take care of. It was... a pleasure to meet you." Rita shot a nasty look to the senior butler, as if asking, 'are you happy now!?'.

"Oh, I'm sorry for holding you up." Estelle's smile never wavered, "I hope we run into each other again." She waved goodbye to Rita and started back for Yuri and Repede.

Rita watched her go for a few moments before turning towards the kitchen, "I am so glad my shift ends in three minutes." She kicked open the door to the kitchen, "I even had to do that ridiculous routine! Who do they think I am?" Her tail erect, Rita made her way through the hard working cooks.

Outside, Estelle slowly made her way to the table. She took her time, and enjoyed the atmosphere that the butlers and maids created in the Dining Hall. Her emerald eyes dropped to meet the sharp gaze of the man that had danced with Rita. He gave her a small wave and a smile as he walked by. "Did you talk to him?" She questioned Yuri and watched the young man as he met Rita by the kitchen door.

Yuri chuckled when the wolf-eared butler lifted Rita's skirt and made a crude comment, earning him an elbow in the gut, "Yep." He lifted his bowl to finish his soup.

"Is he a friend of yours?" Estelle carefully picked out some fruit and started nibbling on a piece of bread. Unaware she was doing so, her eyes drifted upwards to stare at the oddity atop Yuri's head.

Ignoring her perfect table-manners, Yuri wolfed down another plate of mixed meats, vegetables, and used a dinner-roll to clean up the remains. If Estelle didn't know better, she'd think he's in some sort of rush. "His name is Fen. We met not too long ago," Yuri stopped to smirk, "well, not too long before I was imprisoned." He looked at Estelle and his face fell. She was sitting there with a piece of bread hanging from her lips, and her bright eyes were focused just above his head.

Finally, it clicked, and Yuri sighed. Tilting his head towards her, he wiggled his black bunny ears, "Go ahead."

Like a child who just discovered the most interesting thing in the world, Estelle poked and rubbed his ears. Satisfied, she came to the conclusion that they are, indeed, real.

* * *

* * *

**A/N: What a fun chapter, don't you think? For those wondering: yes, the dance scene does have significance. Anyway, until next chapter, please feel free to drop a review. Thank you for reading!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Another week, another chapter. Unlike my last fic, I will be sticking to my weekly update schedule as best I can. That means no rapid-fire updates, and hopefully no delays. Anyway, enough of me, you're here for a story. Please enjoy.**

* * *

* * *

_A world separate to yours_

_A place chained to mine_

_What must we lose to meet here?_

_Time makes it more clear_

* * *

**CH.5: Desire What is Lost**

"My, my, my," A smooth voice shifted the eerie silence. Walking at a casual pace, a female figure walked through the shattered gates of the castle. Fox ears perked in caution, she entered the darkness of the castle. "Do you sense that Ba'ul?" A small creature climbed onto her shoulder and glanced around. "This place is bewitched."

Her eyes looked up through the shadows and at a torn banner. She smirked and placed a feathered hat on her head. Bending down, she took up the helmet of a decorative suit of armor. She turned suddenly and threw the helm towards the gate.

When the helm struck a thick, magical barrier, she hid her eyes from the light. She lowered her arm and watched the helm, now partially melted, drop to the floor with a clang. Lips still forming a calm smirk, she continued into the castle, "A price to enter, and no way to take it back."

She lovingly stroked the head of the creature on her shoulder, "Come on Ba'ul, let's see if we can find him in such a strange place."

* * *

"So where are we going again?" Estelle asked. She walked between Yuri and Repede, seeing how the hound preferred to cover their backs. Her look of confusion lightened when the Nightingale chirped, as it sat on her shoulder patiently.

Yuri caught the noise, and was reassured that the Nightingale is still with them. "We're going to see someone who can help us out."

Estelle didn't look any less lost, "Help us with what?"

"Exactly," Yuri stopped at a narrow, winding staircase, and turned to her. "You don't know why you're here, how you get home, or what that thing is." He pointed upwards.

Smiling sheepishly, Estelle pointed to her shoulder, "Um, I think you meant to point here."

Yuri's ear twitched with his light scowl, "You get the point." He turned and led them up the winding staircase.

While ascending the stairs, Estelle couldn't help but notice the difference in structure. Unlike the rest of the spacious castle, the staircase looked added on. It appeared that the brilliant artisan that designed the castle, had no intention of these stairs being here. Just as Estelle found the idea both interesting and humorous, Yuri stopped in front of a door.

"Is this the place?" Estelle looked around Yuri's arm and at the shabby door. Had it been taken from a shack recently?

Yuri nodded, "That's what Fen told me. Look for the cruddy room that's at the top of cruddy stairs."

"Cruddy?" Estelle giggled at the word.

Misunderstanding, Yuri shrugged, "I might have paraphrased a little, but that's basically what he said." Raising his fist to the door, he knocked twice.

"Hmm, cruddy," Estelle tested the word again, and smiled. She always wondered what people outside of nobility are like. Sure, she had spoken to servants since she was young, but they still used proper words and mannerisms around her. Being with someone like Yuri is refreshing.

Repede looked between the two. One was busy trying to get someone to answer the door, while the other couldn't stop laughing at a word. He lowly whined at the silly behavior.

After knocking a third time, Yuri had enough. "Time for plan B." Before Estelle could ask what his plan was, Yuri lifted his foot and slammed it into the door. With a loud snap, the door flew open. Estelle stood aghast at what Yuri just did, but the rabbit-eared swordsman and his faithful hound just walked inside. After entering the room, Yuri looked back at Estelle, "You coming or what?"

"B-But you just- I mean how could you-" Estelle tried to piece some sort of sentence together, but she still couldn't believe what was happening. Finally, she gave Yuri a highly disapproving look, "You can't just kick doors down Yuri. What if they're not home?"

Yuri shrugged, "Then we'll wait for them." After a short staring match, Yuri rolled his eyes, "Fine, here." He put a hand to his mouth and faced the inside of the room, "If you're in here, we're not going to hurt you!"

"And?" Estelle put her hands on her hips.

"Sorry about your door!" Yuri smirked at the scolding gaze that remained on him.

"Yuri!"

"Alright, alright." He waved her off, "We're sorry about coming in without your permission!" Yuri looked back at her, "Satisfied?"

Estelle remained just outside the door, firmly frowning at him, "I'm beginning to think you're hopeless Yuri."

He smiled back at her, "What took you so long?" Amused by her ever deepening frown, Yuri turned back to inspect the dim room.

* * *

Elsewhere in the castle, a lone man stood in the midst of a disheveled throne room. Cobwebs occupied the corners of the room and hung off of the shattered remains that was once part of walls and pillars. A thick layer of dust and grime stole the splendor of the room, as if no human has even laid eyes upon it for lifetimes. The light from the open door revealed the dust that hung in the air, and broke the ranks of the night-crawlers.

Wolf ears drooped, he looked at the empty throne with cold colored eyes. He blinked slowly, replaying the events of the past once more. Steps echoing in the stale room, he approached the throne and ran a gloved finger over the lion encrusted into the arm. "To enter this place, something must be sacrificed."

His voice was filled with restrained emotion. With eyes filled with a great sadness, he looked upwards. Through the shadows at the ceiling, passed the upper rooms, and towards the sword-like structure that crowned the castle. He could not see who was at its apex, but he knew they were there. A breath later, he was making his way out of the throne room and back into the light of the hallway. He flicked the dust from his fingers.

"Long live the king."

* * *

Distant shouting broke the calm darkness that she unknowingly fell into. Slowly, her eyes opened, only to see more darkness beyond her drooping lids. More muffled voices reached her ears, as the sound of footsteps further woke her. Judging by the sound, she guessed someone was examining her extensive collection of magic circles.

"Whoever lives here obviously can't clean. Is that a lump of moldy... um... I think that's bread?"

"This is so wrong. You really shouldn't invade someone's room like this."

Her ears twitched at the voices, but her mind was still in a drowsy state. However, a third noise caught her attention.

"Woof!"

One cat ear perked up straight away. Without a second to think, she popped out of the mountain of books and pointed an accusing, although shaky, finger to the pipe toting canine, "Get that _beast_ out of here!"

"Beast?"

"Oh my."

She honestly didn't care about the other two people in her room at the moment. Still pointing to the dog, she glared towards the one deepest in her territory, "That filthy dog, get him out of here!" Her tail stood straight up in indignation.

"Oh," The long-haired swordsman looked down at the dog, "I'm so used to Repede that I sometimes forget that he isn't human." He chuckled, "Looks like you have another fan Repede."

The blue-coated hound growled dismissively and shook his head.

"Gah, as if I'd want anything to do with a dog!" The newly awakened young woman seemed more flustered at the very idea. Her furious green eyes widened in shock, however, when a pair of familiar eyes suddenly filled her vision.

"You're that girl, from the Dining Hall." The owner of such large and innocent eyes looked in amazement as Rita backed up in surprise.

Startled, Rita tripped over her books when she tried to back away from the awkwardly close girl. With a thud, a groan, and a few colorful words, Rita found herself on the floor and at the feet of Repede. Her tail bristled and her ears shot up in shock before she yelped, "G-Get away from me you... you dog!"

"Hmm, first I meet a girl Repede doesn't take to, and now I find a girl that has a bit of a problem with dogs." He shook his head laughed, "Man, what a day."

"Yuri, are we here to speak to Rita?" Estelle looked back at him with inquisitive eyes. From her former station at the door, she could see that the room is packed with books and papers full of information. Despite the mess, Estelle would've guessed that this room belonged to some wise, old researcher, not a maid that dances in the Dining Hall.

Scratching a rabbit ear, Yuri shrugged, "I guess so."

Stepping up onto her desk in an attempt to get away from Repede, Rita gave Estelle and Yuri a sharp glare, "So you just barge into a person's room instead of knocking?" She folded her arms and tapped her foot.

Yuri would've felt it necessary for caution, if not for the maid outfit that Rita still has on. Holding back a smile, he looked around, "Yeah, about that-"

"What Yuri is going to say," Estelle quickly cut him off with another disapproving look, "is that we're sorry for intruding." She turned back to Rita with a polite smile and a humble bow of apology.

"I was going to say that." Yuri rolled his eyes.

Rita snorted, "Oh, I'm sure you were." In a rather unwomanly fashion, Rita plopped down into a sitting position on her wooden desk. She watched the trio uncomfortably try to find a good place to stand amongst her cluttered room with uninterested eyes. "So what is it that you want?"

Judging by the tone, Yuri knew that Rita is at the cusp of just shooing them out rather violently. "Fen told us you can help."

"Get out." Rite immediately turned away and folded her arms heatedly, "That bastard, always doing stuff to piss me off."

Estelle wanted to say something, but Yuri beat her to it. Shrugging, he sighed, "Alright, but this comes with us." He took out a strange colored shard from his pocket. Rita's eyes locked onto the strange stone with cat-like intensity. "And so does the Nightingale."

"You mean to tell me that she's the Nightingale?" Rita looked to Estelle skeptically, "Prove it."

Estelle blinked in confusion, "How?"

"Tell the Nightingale to sing." Rita ordered sharply.

"O-Okay," Estelle looked to the shining bird on her shoulder, "go on, please sing a song for us." The Nightingale tilted its head to her, but did not make a sound. Smiling, Estelle took it into her hands, "You're unsure of what to sing? Do you want me to help?" She instantly recalled her favorite tune and began humming it softly. The Nightingale listened to the humming before softly chirping along with her.

Rita listened to the soft melody of the Nightingale with her eyes focused on Yuri. His eyes were closed and his shoulder's relaxed. Something about how he listened to the melody struck her as familiar. A face flashed in her mind, but it was covered by shadows that would not budge. All she could make out from the quick image, was a pair of clear violet eyes.

"Proof enough for you?" Yuri broke Rita's trance with a sarcastic question.

Estelle watched Rita nod slowly, "Um, excuse me but," She hesitated, "can either of you explain just what is going on?" She suddenly felt uneasy under the awaiting gaze of Rita and Yuri, "What is this Nightingale? And why... um, am I here?"

"Estelle," Yuri looked her straight in the eye, "this is your dream."

* * *

"Commandant Alexei," A knight noisily rushed out into the blowing winds. At the apex of the castle's crown, a winding path led to a large, flat platform. At its center, a man with silver hair stood before a glowing sphere. At his sides, two other knights stood silently. "Alexei sir, I bring news from the other knights."

With a calm, knowing voice, Alexei beckoned him to speak, "Go on."

The winded knight caught his breath and sharply saluted, "Yuri 'Black Jack' Lowell has escaped his prison sir."

Alexei smirked, "It was only a matter of time before he did."

"I'm afraid that's not all sir." The knight shivered when the Commandant's eyes cooly turned to look at him, "I-It seems that a strange girl has also appeared in the castle, as well as a few other people nobody recognizes."

"I see," Alexei looked at the glowing sphere, "so this dream is drawing to a close." His smirk grew into a strange grin, "And when it does, I will have the power to create the perfect kingdom." He ignored the confused knight and snapped his fingers. Immediately, a man in a black uniform appeared behind him, "Go and retrieve the girl, kill any that get in the way."

His crimson eyes sharpened at the command, as he nodded his understanding in silence.

"What would you have us do sir?" One of the knights at his side asked when the red-eyed man disappeared down the winding path.

Alexei turned to take the same path back into the castle, "Tell Zagi to move, and inform Raven's Claw about the current development. He'll know what to do."

"Yes sir!"

"So great king," Alexei turned to look at the glowing sphere again, "how does it feel to know that you are supposed to be the hero?" He lightly ran his hand over the glassy surface of the sphere, "Yet thanks to me, you are no more than an observer." Alexei touched his forehead to the ball of light, grinning strangely, "Tell me, what did you sacrifice to enter this dream?"

* * *

**A/N: Hmm, a mystery is a brewin' here. I think now is a good time to applaud the return of Alexei, the villain with an awesome voice for clever villainy. Aside from his failure in the game, I liked his voice. It was so perfect to me. Anyway, thank you for reading and please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:Woohoo, sixth chapter! Thank you all for the kind words, I appreciate it!**

* * *

_A haunting darkness_

_A hunting wolf_

_He is a body with no heart_

_A dog ordered to tear his foes apart_

* * *

**Chapter 06: Black Dogs**

Estelle sat in silence in Rita's small room while the scholarly maid and Yuri packed a few things. The weight of their prior conversation hung over her and the light in her eyes to dim slightly. Yesterday, she had been a noble's daughter without a care in the world. She was battling love sickness, laughing with the house-helpers, and enjoying the peace of Zaphias. Now, she has the weight of keeping that peace on her shoulders.

"Since you're here, that means we have until midnight to follow the Nightingale to its destination." Rita had said that so casually, that Estelle almost didn't believe her. She wished Rita _had_ been teasing her for some reason. She also mentioned something startling.

"Everyone you see in this dream is from the real world, but they gave something up to come here." Again, her tone was that of a schoolmaster speaking facts. It didn't worry her that she had given her memories to come here. If that's true though, then what did Yuri give up? What did Repede sacrifice?

A soft tweet brought Estelle back from her deep thinking. Smiling weakly, she brushed the Nightingale on her shoulder. "Estelle, we need to start out." Yuri called to her from across the room. He had been watching her for a few minutes, and felt bad for her. Within moments of meeting Estelle, he knew she is a kind, innocent person that doesn't deserve this.

"Okay," Estelle pushed her worries aside and smiled brightly at an indifferent Rita, "I'm happy you're coming with us Rita."

She shrugged, "I don't remember why, but I am here to help, so whatever." Rita's eyes widened when Estelle grabbed her hands and shook them. While she was wondering why Estelle would do such thing, she could hear laughter from the pink-haired girl. Honestly, it made her feel strange. "Okay," She removed her hands from Estelle's, "time to leave."

"Woof!" Repede got up from the floor and sauntered after Rita.

"Keep the mutt away from me."

The tough canine growled a little before rolling his eyes at Rita. As if shrugging off her command, he started down the stairs.

"Hmm, it seems he likes you." Yuri's sarcasm didn't go unnoticed. Despite her sharp glare, Yuri shrugged past her and followed Repede.

Estelle quickly followed him, unsure what to say.

"Do you even know where you're going?" Rita asked. Her answer was the song of the Nightingale, as it left Estelle's shoulder and once again started to lead them. The scholarly maid looked at Estelle, "Well?"

"Oh yeah," Estelle forgot they couldn't see it, "I guess I'll lead the way." She walked ahead of Yuri and Repede. It didn't take long for them to descend the stairs and into the dim halls of the castle. The conversation was light between the four of them. Noticing Rita's silence, Estelle decided to try to talk with her, "Um, Rita?"

She looked up from the floor, "What is it?"

"How long have you been a maid here?" Estelle asked curiously. Rita didn't look older than her, so she couldn't have been a maid for very long.

Rita shrugged, "A year or two maybe." She sighed with a hint of frustration, "It's only to keep my room. I spend most of the time researching and stuff."

"How interesting." Estelle smiled in admiration, despite the passive expression on Rita's face. "So that man you danced with, have you know him for very long?" She blinked curiously when Rita's face soured.

Yuri looked back with a knowing smirk, "Oh, you mean Fen?"

"Don't use that pig's name around me!" Rita bit sharply. Clearly put in a bad mood, she folded her arms and looked away. "That jerk's been annoying me since we first met. He started the same day I did."

"You talk about him as if you don't like him." Estelle frowned slightly. From she saw in the Dining Hall, she had assumed Rita and Fen are good friends, if not more. "Both of you moved so smoothly, as if your hearts are closely tied together." She sighed at the romantic thought, recalling a book she had read.

While she was lost in her imagination, Rita looked at her strangely, "You don't get out much, do you." She stumbled when Yuri elbowed her suddenly, "Hey!"

Yuri shot her a stern glance but said nothing.

"Well, being out in the towns isn't exactly proper for a girl of my age and status." Estelle looked down solemnly. It was obvious by her tone that she wished it was not the truth. Though Zaphias is a peaceful place, she was always forbidden to go too far off the property, unless heavily escorted. Smiling through her sad thoughts, Estelle picked up the pace with a bright smile, "Rita, are we getting close?"

The cat-eared maid waited before she answered. Estelle's downcast moment didn't go unnoticed. She shrugged, "From what I can remember. I've only seen the status of the Child of the Full Moon in passing." She caught Yuri looking at her, "What?"

"Nothing, I just haven't heard someone call the statues by that name." Certain Estelle is confused, Yuri decided to elaborate, "The Children of the Full Moon, a series of statues placed around the castle that will unlock the gates to the upper levels." He met Estelle's eyes, "Some think they were made in the image of the Nightingale, a girl that can see the bird of light."

Estelle frowned, "That's confusing," She pointed to the Nightingale, "isn't it called the Nightingale too?"

"That's why people usually refer to you as the Child of the Full Moon." Rita clarified.

"Oh." Estelle looked forward to ponder this, but met the sight of the next great chamber, "Oooh," She expressed her amazement at the dim, yet grandly decorated room. As always, the architecture was equally as beautiful as the other rooms she's seen. Two, white-marble staircases led up to a second level and a large set of double-doors. Between the staircases, the hallway continued on into the shadows. At the room's center, a beautiful, angelic statue stood.

* * *

She casually made her way through the dim halls of the castle. Despite her time navigating the pathways, she hadn't seen any signs of life. "Hmm," She looked around suspiciously, "something doesn't seem right." A soft smirk played at her smirk, "What do you think Ba'ul?"

_I agree, I can sense a steady flow killer intent._

Her ears twitched at those words. Such a flow of killer intent meant there is going to be a battle soon, "Do you know where it's coming from?"

_You'll see, just keep looking forward Judy_

Curious, she stopped her advance and kept her pink eyes forward. Up ahead, the hall split left and right. Moments after she stopped, columns of darkly dressed people marched past at a brisk pace. Each had on glowing, red goggles and dark over-coats. She waited until the pack of eight completely marched by before stepping out into the hallway. Judy watched their retreating backs before following.

_Be careful Judith_

"Aren't I always?" Judy smiled when she heard Ba'ul growl out a groan.

* * *

"Oh man, oh man this is not good."

"Kid, you worry too much."

"B-But, s-she told me to find an Eggbear."

"Why are you whispering?"

"Because... it might _hear_ us."

"What's that by your leg?"

"AHHHH!"

* * *

Estelle watched the Nightingale circle the statue before landing on the statue's head. "Is that one of the statues we're looking for?"

"Yeah," Rita weaved ahead of Yuri and approached the statue.

"So what do I have to do?" Estelle examined the statue closely, amazed by how pretty it was.

"Get the Nightingale to sing. The statue will light when the song gives it enough power." Rita tried to keep her irritation from showing. Flamboyant as she is, a girl of her intellect must show some form of patience. She watched closely as Estelle began to hum softly. In time, she heard the Nightingale sing with her, as wisps of light collected in the ivory statue's hands.

A wave of warmth washed through Estelle's chest, and settled right over her heart. The feeling was strange, yet comforting at the same time. She could feel her hidden worries lighten, and her smile grew more radiant. Somehow, the song of Nightingale seemed to beat back the shadows lurking around her. Then, just as Estelle started to get lost in the melody, it stopped.

Yuri's ears stood rigid at the sudden stillness that hung thick in the dim chamber. He saw Rita retrieve the book she carried in her bag and instinctively drew his sword. "Estelle," He called out to her, "get behind me."

Repede rushed over to the idle girl and stood in front of her. Yuri noticed Estelle's lack of response and cursed. He rushed to her side and was shocked to see her eyes lifeless. Repede barked back at him, as if saying he'd focus on defending her.

"Okay, I'll leave to you then Repede." Yuri stood up once more when the door at the top of the stairs opened slowly. Within moments, eight men, dressed in dark coats marched through the door. Their glowing, crimson eyes left trails as they descended they occupied the stairs. With a resounding slam, the door behind Yuri and Rita closed, trapping them. "Who are these guys?" Yuri questioned Rita's sour expression.

Glaring daggers ahead of her, Rita spoke in a low voice, "The Commandant's attack dogs."

"Alexei," Yuri's eyes grew angered at the name, but he remained where he was. "How many can you handle?"

Rita removed the a white ribbon from her maid uniform, and revealed a mess of writing on one side of it. "I can take all of them if you can buy me some time." Recalling the contents of her book, she focused her mind on casting a spell. A magic circle appeared at her feet, while her eyes glared towards the door ahead.

Yuri placed his sword on his shoulder, assuming his usual, lax stance, "Shouldn't be too hard." With Repede's help, he should be able to keep them away from Rita. That's what he thought, but Rita knew better.

"Don't get cocky bunny-boy," Rita flicked her eyes towards the second-floor door. Just as she predicted, a ninth man walked into the chamber and looked down on them from the railing. "Meet the head dog himself."

Lowell examined him closely and spotted a pair of black wolf-ears, "I don't remember seeing you around." He spoke up to the unfamiliar man. Yuri noticed that he ignored him and looked at Estelle, "Hey," He barked and stood in his line of sight, "I'm talking to you." Finally, Yuri's dark eyes met the blood-red orbs of the wolf eared man. He instantly saw how dangerous this man is, "Repede,"

"Fetch," He didn't give Yuri time to tell Repede anything, as the eight Attack Dogs pounced.

"Azure Edge!" Yuri quickly fired off his most familiar attack and blew back two enemies. Using the shock of the remaining two coming for him, he quickly used a barrage of fists to knock them back. He then turned towards Repede and fired another Azure Edge, lightening the hound's load.

Repede barked a thanks before charging forward and disabling two more. With his canine speed, he snapped around and slashed at the legs of two more foes with the dagger in his jaws. Growling dangerously, he circled Estelle's still form in defense.

"Uh Rita," Yuri stepped backwards when he saw all eight of their opponents get up, "how much more time do you need?"

Lips curled upwards in a strange smile, Rita's eyes flickered, "None," The magic circle underneath pulsed in a crimson light before a barrage of Fireballs left her outstretched palm. The attack forced their attackers on a heavy retreat, many falling to the floor in a smoldering heap. "That's right, you better run!" Rita shook her fist at their backs. However, her feeling of victory was smashed the moment she saw a flood of these darkly dressed men walk into the room.

Having stepped out of the shadows of the passageways ahead, Yuri and Rita echoed Repede's growl of frustration. For the three strange heroes, their awareness of the situation stopped at that very moment.

From above, behind the door that stood behind the leader of these dogs, Judy watched. Her pink eyes widened slightly, before a mysterious smirk of amusement formed on her lips. From her vantage point, she could see the room suddenly become bathed in a strange light. Sparkles fell from above, like a powerful magic she'd never seen before. At the center of it all, was Estelle. She observed with multiplied interest as Estelle stood from her rested position and faced a shadow that suddenly appeared behind her.

Judy, this presence,

"I know Ba'ul," Judy gently silenced her dear friend, "I can feel it too."

In the chamber, now filled with motionless heroes and villain alike, Estelle stood in a stupor. With eyes filled with confusion, she looked at the cloaked man that is now smiling at her. Atop his head, she saw the familiar, black, bunny ears. The smile he held was formed with the lips that had kissed her so heatedly. The cloaked man shared Yuri's face, though the young man stands at her side, still glaring at the masses ahead.

"I don't," Estelle paused in pure confusion, "I don't understand." Her emerald eyes shook when this mirror of Yuri stepped towards her. His lips moved in a way that said that she will. To stop her from uttering a question, his lips covered her in a warm kiss.

It was all there. The familiar warmth, the intoxicating release, and the firm gentleness that kept her breathing heavily in the night. She could feel it all course through her when his lips touched hers. Though it thrilled her to the bone, it also scrambled all certainty she ever held. In a twisted, yet pleasing, way, this mirrored Black Jack gave her a piece of herself she had lost.

A hair away from her lips, she could feel every motion. In a wordless speech, she could feel him say, "I am an oath. Find me twice more, and restore me."

He stole her breath with another touch of his lips, and all went back into motion. She heard Yuri curse the hounds closing in on them, and saw Rita move to begin another spell. All of this seemed murky to her, as her blood still coursed warm from his embrace. Then, like a glass filled until bursting, it all left her in a large explosion of white light.

The man above, leader of Alexei's guard, watched the seen with a blank expression. He did not hide his eyes from the intense light, or curse when he saw his subordinates blown back by an unseen, magical force. However, he did feel the cool sting of a lance being held to his neck.

"Hmm," A smooth voice hummed, "perhaps this is a good time to leave?" Her sweet voice gave a bite to her question. It would disarm any man of aggression.

With a sharp whistle, all of Alexei's guard left into the darkness to be seen another day. Yuri and Rita, on the other hand, couldn't take their eyes off of Estelle. The swordsman quickly caught her when Estelle stumbled, tired from the sudden shock. "Estelle, Estelle say something!" Yuri held her up, though her body seemed to go limp.

"I-I'm," Estelle shook her head, "I'm alright." Her thin frame grew sturdy again, renewed by another wave of this mysterious warm feeling. She grunted uncomfortably when it pulsed to her hands and into Yuri.

The bunny-eared swordsman was surprised himself when he felt his minor wounds heal. "I assume it's one of her powers as the Child of the Full Moon?"

Rita answered with a silent, yet greatly impressed and curious, nod. "Lay her down for a bit. We need to discuss what just happened." To her, Estelle's little display had happened in the blink of an eye. To another, it played out much slower.

"Maybe I can help with that?" All eyes went to the staircase, as a beautiful woman descended to meet them. She held a violet hat with a puffy, white feather in it in one hand, and a black lance in the other. Her smile matched her flawless features, earning a prolonged stare from Yuri. With a smooth stride to every step, she walked closer to them, "I saw the whole thing, so maybe I can explain while she sleeps a little."

While Rita felt suspicious, Yuri didn't see anything wrong with it, "Sure, feel free." He gave her a knowing smile, as if he knew her. He didn't say as much, though he did glance meaningfully at Rita before the woman started.

Nodding, she introduced herself first, "My name is Judith, and this," She motioned to a small lizard that occupied her shoulder, "is my friend Ba'ul."

* * *

* * *

**A/N: More characters and mysteries, all tired together by a few faces. Expect more characters next chapter, and more action. Thank you for reading, and please review!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Thank you for the kind words and support!**

* * *

_A caress as light as wind_

_A feeling that burns like the sun_

_To see the light of victory, into madness we must descend_

* * *

**Chapter 7: Into Madness**

The sharp sound of steel hitting steel stung her ears. With eyes sharp and alert, she ran through the darkness like a blade. She could see the flashes of sparks in the shadows. Her skin tingled as she passed windows, and momentarily bathed herself in moonlight, "Captain!" She cried in desperation when she saw blood drip from a fresh wound.

"No Sodia, stay back!" Clear eyes glared back at a stare full of bloodlust. "What are you doing here? Who are you?" His voice was strong and demanding.

She placed her hand on her sword, "Drop your weapon and surrender at once!" She commanded the shadow opposite of the blonde knight before her. Her confidence shriveled and died when she could see the moonlight illuminate a pale face.

His lips turned upwards into a twisted smile, "All you knights ever do is boss people around." He readied the crimson daggers in his hands, still grinning out of pure pleasure, "Spend less time talking and more time bleeding!" He charged his target again. He could smell the coppery tang of blood, and his adrenaline roared because of it.

"Captain!" She cried once more when twin daggers met the sturdy defense of his sword. Disregarding his former order, she moved in to help, only to hear him shout sharply.

Parrying once more, he turned to her with eyes that danced with a determined fire, "I said stay back! Azure Edge!" He fired a wave of magical energy towards his attacker before charging himself. He'd sooner fall on his sword then allow his assassin to take the offensive all night, "Go and alert the Royal Guard, warn Alexei!"

She hesitated out of sheer loyalty and concern. However, she submitted to his order and dashed back into the dim halls of the castle.

The assassin charged in again, still grinning, "I said," His voice sang with no shame of his lunacy, "BLEED!" His body gave off a bloody pink glow, as his daggers met steel and then flesh. "Ahahahaha!"

* * *

The halls of the castle are a cold, lonely place to wander. A lone man treked through the carpeted halls silently. His butler garb seemed out of place in the sad halls. As he turned a corner to continue onwards, he smirked to himself.

Cradled in one arm, a small creature made a soft noise.

"Oh, close to feeding time is it?" His blue eyes looked down the hall and to the next door, "I'll see what I can do for you little guy." It made another noise, and he smiled, although bitterly, "It hurts me to play this role you know. But what must be done, must be done."

He stopped at the door and cracked it open a little. Gently, he placed the small creature on its feet and pushed it towards the door, "Go on, fate will show you what your purpose is." He watched it waddle through the door and gently closed it. Back tracking, he found a small set of stairs and climbed them, his shoes echoing through the darkness.

Shortly after his departure, a pair of wandering warriors turned into that wing of the hallway. One was much shorter than the other. While one seemed in his thirties, the young boy was no older than thirteen. "H-H-Here Eggbear," The younger of the two whispered, "Here E-Eggb-bear."

His older companion shook his head and scratched his chin, "You won't become a good hunter, whispering like a scared puppy." He chuckled when his young friend jumped at his shamelessly loud voice.

"Shhh," The boy hushed him harshly, "don't be so loud Raven." He turned to the door with quivering knees, "It might hear you."

The one named Raven rolled his shoulders, "Remind me why you had the idea of sacrificing your bravery to come here?"

"I couldn't think of anything else!" The youth immediately covered his mouth when he realized he yelled. He glared up at the older man when he heard more laughter, "Well at least I didn't give up my name." He smiled triumphantly when he saw Raven recoil, "That was a dumb idea."

"Hey, show some respect for your elders Karol." Raven feigned injury at Karol's words. A small cry caused both to freeze and look downwards. Shocked eyes rested on the sight of a small bear-like creature. It had one of its small paws in its mouth, cutely looking up at them with big, innocent, brown eyes.

* * *

Estelle lightly slept under the watchful eye of Repede. He had allowed himself to be used as her pillow. Uninterested in the conversation going on near him, he simply fiddled with the pipe between his teeth. Every so often, his ear twitched, ever alert for unseen danger.

"Hmm," Rita tilted her head in thought, "I didn't think there was any more to this whole Nightingale thing." She tapped her chin, "But if what you say true, then there is something else going on." Her eyes looked up at the beautiful woman suspiciously, "_If_ what you say is true."

Judith smiled, "Oh my, you make it sound like I'm suspicious." She laughed lightly at Rita's staring, "Don't worry, I'm not good at telling lies."

"Not anymore." Yuri muttered.

Judy shrugged, "I don't miss it much."

His dark eyes remained on Estelle, "We should wake her up soon. We're kind of on the clock."

"I don't see why you can't carry her." Judy gave Yuri a cheeky smirk, as if implying something.

Rita shrugged when she didn't catch the hidden meaning, "I always meet the weirdos in this stupid castle." She brushed off her maid uniform and started towards the door. "We still have two more statues to light, so get a move on."

"You might not want to go that way." Rita froze and her cat-ears went rigid at the familiar, smooth voice. Anger burning in her eyes, she looked to the small balcony above and saw a wolf-eared young man. He smiled at her annoyed glare and waved, "Hello Rita."

She gave him an irritated snort, "What are you doing here?" Rita watched with folded arm as Fen hopped over the balcony's railing and onto the tiled floor. Her eye twitched when he intentionally tapped his feet, still wearing his polished dancing shoes. "You're so weird." She sighed when he swiftly made his way over to her.

Fen gave her a wink before looking towards Yuri and Judith, "So how goes it?" He looked to Judy, "Good to see you."

"Well, after too long, Ba'ul got worried." Judith smiled, "I hope you don't mind me giving you both a hand." A bark drew her attention downwards, as Repede warmly welcomed her to the group. Judy effortlessly rubbed Repede's head, "Why thank you Repede, I knew you'd be easy to convince."

Yuri shook his head with a smirk, "Always the opportunist Judy."

"You're hardly the one to say that." Judy shot back.

While everyone was conversing, Rita looked at them in confusion. "So ll of you know each other?" She could swear that something deep within her wanted to click, as if teasing a much desired memory. Her sharp eye caught the slight glances towards Fen and the slight fall of his content expression.

Before Judy could give out too much honesty, Fen answered, "That, my dear Rita," He tapped her nose fearlessly, "is for you to find out."

"Don't touch me you freak!" Rita lashed out.

Fen weaved through her fists and ended up embracing Rita from behind. Carefully placing himself out of reach, he rubbed his cheek against hers, "But you're so nice to touch." He felt her growl stop suddenly when he ran his hand along her rigid tail.

Bristling, the bookworm of a maid shrieked, "Stop sexually harassing me you perverted dog!"

"As entertaining as it is to see Rita squirm," Judy savored the fuming maid's stare, "what did you mean about us not wanting to go that way?"

"Eggbears." Fen released Rita and twirled towards away from her. He stopped to lean against the illuminated Child of the Full Moon statue, his hands in his pockets. "Dreadful creatures; they tend to play tricks too."

Yuri opened his mouth to ask a question, but the loud bang of the door slamming open stopped him. Everyone turned back to the door when a woman shrieked in absolute horror. "Murder! Bloody murder in the north tower!" She rushed to Yuri, "Murder good sir, in the coldest kind!" Rushing onwards almost as quickly as she came, the woman kept screaming madness, "Ring the bells! Wake the guards! Sir Whitehorse has been MURDERED!"

"Oh my," Judy cast a concerned glance towards Yuri.

"Whitehorse," Fen's face looked unusually grave, "as in Don Whitehorse?"

"Who is Don Whitehorse?" All eyes dropped to Estelle, who groggily looked up in shock. The screaming alarm had shook her awake with a fright. Her rosy cheeks seemed to lack a bit of color.

Fen immediately started in the direction that the woman had come from. He answered while passing Estelle, "The only man with just as much influence as Commandant Alexei."

The others quickly followed Fen, leaving Yuri to look after Estelle. He kneeled at her side, "Can you walk?" He watched her try to stand, only to have her legs give out weakly. Whatever that burst of power from before was, it had drained her more than he thought. He smirked and rolled his eyes when Estelle tried to stand again, "I can carry you." It was a half-hearted answer. He knew what she'd say.

"No," Estelle weakly refused with pink cheeks, "I can walk on my own." She huffed when her legs refused to hold up once more. Blushing out of embarrassment, she glanced towards Yuri, "Um, could you-" She didn't get the chance to finish before Yuri hoisted her up on her feet.

"I'll let you lean on me, if you tell a certain friend of mine that I did a good deed today. Deal?"

Estelle smiled softly at Yuri's amused smirk, "Deal." She placed her arm around Yuri's neck while he held her waist. The contact made her face grow warm, recalling the heated encounter with his double. "So, who exactly is this friend of yours?" She tried to focus on something else.

"A blonde boy-scout with nothing better to do than to pester me." Yuri shamelessly allowed the sharp response to roll from his lips.

Bright, emerald eyes looked up at him strangely, "Are you _sure_ you two are friends?"

"Depends on your definition of 'friend'."

"I don't get it." Estelle's cat-ears drooped with her confused expression. The pair simply followed the brisk pace of their companions, allowing silence to mix with the unrealized weight of the situation. Before long, however, curiosity got the better of Estelle. Entering the room that held a set of stairs to the north tower, she asked Yuri a question. "Yuri?"

The long-haired swordsman hummed his attention with closed his eyes.

Estelle lightly bit her lip before asking, "Um, what did _you_ give up to come here?" When she glanced upwards, her eyes shockingly came in contact with the steady gaze of Yuri's dark eyes. With eyes locked, the pair was oblivious to a woman calling out Yuri's name venomously, the thunderous entrance of a pair of warriors, and the gathering black fog at their feet.

All Estelle saw was the empty stare of Yuri's eyes. All she heard was his masculine voice clearly speak one word to her. It was for her ears, and hers alone.

"Love."

* * *

* * *

**A/N: Wow, such weight with one word. Hopefully this gave you enough clues to draw some conclusions. Next chapter will be packed with dynamic interactions and we finally get to introduce some much needed characters. I'm holding true to my short story thing this time, so expect some answers and climaxes soon. Thank you for reading, and please review!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Another chapter, another chance for me to thank all of you for reading. Thank you so very much! Alright, we're jumping right in, so please stay with me.**

* * *

_A deepening dream_

_A soft song_

_Insanity's gentle caress_

_It is a carnival of a dark and beautiful madness_

* * *

**Chapter 8: Madness Carnival**

BAM

"Yuri Black Jack Lowell!"

BAM

"E-E-E-EGGBEAR!"

"Less talkin' more running Karol!"

Outside of Yuri and Estelle's "oblivious bubble" the room grew very tense. Not moments after they started for the stairs, both doors on either side exploded open. On one side, a blonde, bunny-eared woman wearing knightly armor rushed into the room. Her panicked eyes grew angered the instant she set them upon the rabbit-eared swordsman. Her jaw grew tight with every moment she glared at him.

The other door had opened to reveal two other in armor. Though lacking the azure of knights, they still looked far from being servants or peasants. The boy had a look of fear in his eyes, and his face is pale with fright. The older man looked afraid, but no where near as much as his young companion.

"DosomethingRavenBlackJackLowellwhatareyoudoinghereWhatdoyouwantmetodoaboutHeyanswermealready!"

Rita covered her ears when the knight and the two frightened warriors started talking at once, "Gah, shut up already!" She roared in frustration. The silence that suddenly hung in the room settled her throbbing head, "Good, keep it that way."

"Hey," The knight squinted her violet eyes at Rita, "aren't you that maid that dances in the Dining Hall?" She looked beside Rita and at Fen, "And you too."

Before Rita could speak, Fen put his arm around her shoulders, "Glad you recognized us." He grinned despite Rita's heel pressing into his foot.

"Hands off mutt."

Judy, although amused by Fen's antics, decided it best not to test this woman's patience. "What's the problem?" Her smooth smile faltered a little when the knight's eyes angrily glared daggers at the side of Yuri's head. Repede rolled his eyes, as if knowing what is coming next.

"Grr, I don't have time for you anyway _Lowell_!" She made sure to spit his name before rushing towards the stairs, "I have to warn Sir Whitehorse!"

"Hold on, Whitehorse is-" Rita tried to warn her before she stormed up the stairs towards the north tower, "or you can just run around like a blockhead." Her expression grew uninterested, "That's what I get for trying to care."

Fen looked at the direction she had come from, "Hmm," He turned to look at Judy, "You deal with those two," He pointed to the frantic looking warriors, "I'll go see what she was so flustered about." He walked towards the door to their left, only to stop suddenly.

"Something wrong?" Rita tapped her foot.

"I smell something." Fen looked around and noticed the room looked different somehow.

The boy still standing near the door yelped when it suddenly slammed closed once more. "T-That's not good." He whined when the other doors slammed closed, locking them within the small intersection of hallways.

"I'm getting too old for this type of thing." His older companion made his way towards Judy and the others. He quickly snapped Yuri and Estelle out of their trance, "No time for romance kids, I think we're not alone in here."

Yuri glanced towards Estelle once more before drawing his sword. "The shadows are moving again."

"Grrr," Repede caught a whiff of the gathering black fog and growled. His animal instincts told him all he needed to know about what is going to happen. He reached over his shoulder and took the dagger between his teeth.

Estelle gasped at the feeling that washed through her body. It started as a light tug in her chest before expanding to her entire body, almost like she is underwater. "Something is... different." Her hand went to the base of her throat when she felt a cold touch brush her skin. Indeed, this is different.

In much the same fashion as before, the black fog swirled with a chilling wail. As if alive, the fog built up like a thin cyclone. It split into three parts and entered the walls of the room, wailing as it passed through. Not a breath later, three golems of plaster, steel wire, and marble parted from the walls. Large, white pillars made up their arm from elbow to hands.

"Stay back Estelle," Yuri stepped in front of her and joined the others in facing the Sentinels.

All three golems rushed them, leading with their marble-covered shoulders. Everyone swiftly moved out of the way and allowed the trio to slam their shoulders together. They turned and reached for those behind them, narrowly missing the small boy and Rita.

"Karol," Raven jumped over the broad reach of a golem and fired three arrows towards another. The moment he landed, he readied his dagger and weaved between the short legs of the Sentinel. Sparks danced as he scraped the marble that made up its legs, "Its too tough, I can't do any damage."

"Azure Edge!" A burst of blue light struck the Sentinel's leg behind the knee. Its leg easily gave out, forcing it to kneel and forget its pursuit of Repede. "Go for it Judy!" Yuri looked upwards and watched Judy flip and slam her heel against the Sentinel's head, cracking it.

Judy landed lightly on her feet and rushed to Karol. "Need some help?"

The boy's jaw tightened as the second Sentinel pushed against his large sword. "Please hurry." He whimpered as a pain shot through his arm. He looked behind him, "How much more time do you need?"

"A few more seconds, don't rush me!" Rita growled and continued to focus.

"Then allow me." Fen summersaulted to Judy's side, "Shall we?"

Judy smiled at the unsuspecting Sentinel, "After you." Both leaped high into the air before Judy placed her foot in Fen's clasped hands. With a grunt, he catapulted her higher, while he prepared for his part of the attack. Judy threw her weight forward and sent herself spinning for the Sentinel's back.

Fen landed on the ground and charged in low, his fists held down t scrape the floor. With a strong cry, he drove his fist into the golem's leg and broke it in two. The Sentinel roared as it topped down, only to have Judy slam into the base of its neck, destroying its head completely. The wolf-eared butler shook his stinging hand, "Punching through stone can't be good for the knuckles."

"Oh, don't be a baby." Judy smirked at him. A frightened yell drew their attention to the other side of the room. The third Sentinel had slapped Repede aside and is now closing in on Estelle.

Fen looked back, "Rita!"

"I can't reach that far, I'd have to start all over again!" She cursed her miscalculation, "Get to her Fen!"

"I won't make it in time!" He yelled back, already rushing as fast he can. "Yuri, get Estelle!"

The bunny-eared swordsman slid between his enemy's legs and bee-lined for Estelle. Unfortunately, he is too far to get to her in time also.

Estelle felt the wall at her back as the towering golem closed in on her. She wanted to scream for help, but couldn't. Frantic, she glanced around for a way out, but the golem had trapped her in a corner. The only way out is through it. Her emerald eyes closed tightly. For the first time, she wished she was back in her room, only reading about such things.

_Didn't I tell you to not be afraid?_

"Huh?" Estelle opened her eyes at the voice. Everything froze and was bathed in a blue hue. Her body jerked suddenly, as if hands are guiding her. She felt one hand grip her wrist and raise her hand towards the Sentinel.

_Now focus. See your power._

Her heart suddenly felt hot, as a white light filled her vision. Just before the flash of bright light, she saw the Nightingale perched on her wrist. When the light faded, Estelle gasped at what she saw. The Sentinel was pushed back by the intense light. It fell onto its back, only to look up at spears of light hovering over it. The lances skewered the golem, greatly damaging its torso.

"Estelle," Yuri took her by the hand and ran out of the corner and towards the others. When gathered with their friends, he stopped her, "Estelle that was amazing!"

"Yeah, that was really cool!" Karol grinned up at her, "How did you do that!?"

Estelle looked down, cheeks pink at the attention, "I don't really know." She looked at Rita, "Is it just another power from being the Child of the Full Moon?"

The scholarly maid tapped her chin, still deciphering the possibilities, "That would be the simple answer." She stared at Estelle with a strange expression. A part of her suspected there's more to this than Estelle just stumbling on to these powers. And what of that man Judy had mentioned?

"We should figure it out later," Raven called their attention forward, "we still have company." All three Sentinels got up to regroup. One hopped on one foot, headless, while the other two simply towered over all of them. They roared again before beginning their charge, but stopped at a loud banging noise.

BANG BANG BANG

Everyone looked to one of the three doors. It shook violently, the hinges whining under great stress. Karol and Raven paled when they realized it is the door they had entered through.

BANG BANG BANG

"Uh oh," Karol and Raven chorused and looked at each other with wide eyes.

Estelle blinked, "What could that be?"

His face falling in exasperated horror, Fen looked at Karol, "Didn't you say something about an Eggbear not too long ago?"

BANG

Karol shivered, "Oh no."

BANG

He ducked his head and whimpered, "Oh no, oh no, oh no!"

Fen hummed, "Maybe I _shouldn't_ have brought it inside." He felt Rita glare at him.

CRASH

The door finally gave in and shattered. The cloud of splintered wood, dust, and shattered hinges soon lifted to reveal... a small, teddy-bear-like creature. It waddled into the room and glanced around with big, brown eyes.

"Its so... cute." Estelle fought the urge to run over and hug it.

Rita slowly looked at Fen, "You mind explaining how that thing got in here!?"

"Nope, I'm good." Fen whistled and slowly made his way to the stairs, one step at a time. He side-stepped the golems and tip-toed up the first three stairs.

Estelle's forehead wrinkled with confusion, "How can such a small thing make so much noise anyway?" She's certain it is no taller than her knee. Her look of confusion turned to shock when its stomach growled like an angry lion, "Oh my."

"Oh no." Rita groaned.

"Oh shit." Yuri snatched Estelle up by her waste and threw her over his shoulder, "RUN!" A part of him wasn't surprised when he saw Raven, Repede, Karol, and Judy already on the stairs with Fen. He was surprised to see Rita not too far behind.

Estelle, however, was baffled when she saw the small, cute, teddy-bear suddenly grow into a monstrously huge bear. Its club-like arms ended with long, razor-sharp claws. Glowing, red eyes grew feral when it let out a bellowing roar that rattled the entire room, "I liked the other one better." She pouted.

"What about the golems?" Estelle asked when Yuri finally set her back down.

"Woof!" Repede seemed to shrug his shoulders and saunter up the staircase.

"For once, I agree with the dog." Rita scowled at the thought.

Karol nodded, still shivering at the chaotic sounds of the Eggbear fighting the Sentinels, "I-I'm not going back down there!"

"Our goal is to light the next statue right? I think there's one in the north tower." Judy followed Repede.

Yuri nodded, "That way, we can see about Whitehorse and light the statue." He looked back at Estelle and offered his hand, "You coming?"

Estelle smiled and reached out for his hand, but another beat her to it. "Ahh, it does my heart good to see the young people helpin' out the elderly." Raven took Yuri's hand and pulled himself along. Without another word, he caught up with Judy and took her hand, "I can't call myself a man if I don't watch out for the ladies." He smirked at Judy, "Right?"

"Sorry," The fox-eared woman smiled sweetly, "but I'm spoken for."

Raven gasped, "M-M-Married!? When!?"

"Oh I'm not married." Judy continued to smile as she forcefully removed her hand from Raven's grasp.

"Then what did you mean?"

Still holding her sweet smile, Judy brandished her black lance, "Are you _sure_ you want to know?"

Raven fell back to hide behind Fen, "No, that's alright, I'm fine."

"Great," Rita snorted, "another goof to finish the set."

* * *

* * *

**A/N: Haha, nothing says fun like a comical encounter with an Eggbear. Sorry this was a bit later than the others. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thank you for reading, and please leave a review!**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Take note friends, college is a time glutton. Just to give you the heads-up, if I'm late updating, blame college. I'll give it my best to stay on schedule, but you know how life goes sometimes. Please, enjoy the next entry.**

* * *

_One becomes two_

_Two become one_

_Only hours left before this night is done_

* * *

**Chapter 9: The Crescent Moon**

"Azure Edge!" He cried and sent his attacker through the window. He rushed to the edge of the window and looked out from the bridge connecting the two towers. Eyes focused through the night, he did not see a corpse of his foe, "Escaped?" He looked around questioningly before rushing off to the northern tower.

Below the bridge, the crazed assassin growled as he bit his own hand. "Che," His maddened eyes calmed into indifference, "tougher than I thought." He grinned, "How fun." His eyes dropped to look at his bleeding hand, "Blonde hair, blue eyes, I'll remember it all until the day he dies." With that, he retreated into the shadows.

Above the two towers of the castle, at the apex of sword-like structure, the Commandant waited. His plans have been set into motion, and the first step has been perfectly executed. "Don Whitehorse," Alexei looked skywards, towards the enchanted moon, "he was a good man, and a dear friend."

"Yet you had him killed." The leader of Alexei's dogs appeared behind him. He folded his arms and leaned against the railing of the path.

Alexei smirked bitterly, "An unfortunate sacrifice to ensure a pure, perfect world." He turned his eyes towards his underling, "So Cain, what did you give up to come to this place?"

"My heart." Cain cast an emotionless glance towards the lower towers.

"Ah, a precious treasure." Alexei looked towards the magical sphere that has become his obsession, "I sacrificed all doubts." He spread his arms, "To make a pure world, I have to dedicate all I am to the ideal."

Cain nodded, "Do as you like." He looked to Alexei, "What will you have me and your Hounds do next?"

The Commandant smirked, "Wait," He looked up to the moon once more, "the Nightingale will come to us," He chuckled, "I've made sure of it." He looked to his left and ran his hand over the lifeless statue. He admired its kneeled position, as if in prayer to the moon itself.

"Zagi is on his way." Cain announced after sniffing the air, "He smells of bloodlust."

"And so we prepare for the final act." Alexei calmly remained still, basking in the idea of his dream becoming a reality.

* * *

The scene is horrible. Amongst the castle's usual dim atmosphere, corpses are littered throughout the upper levels of the northern tower. Blood streaked the walls and floors, and pools of red stained the floors. There was no fight here, no battle, but a massacre. It was as if a pack of crazed dogs ran through and ripped these noble knights to pieces.

Estelle almost gagged at the sight, her face pale. If not for Yuri's support, she would have fallen to her knees in horror. Many of her books told of such horrible sights, but to see it with your own eyes- it overwhelmed her. "H-Horrible."

Judy gave her a concerned look before returning to her observations. She is no stranger to death, but she felt sorry for Estelle's sake. Her heart is too kind for this type of thing, "This is horrible," She agreed, "but we need to go further."

"Are you alright to go on?" Fen asked Estelle over his shoulder.

"Yeah, I'll be fine, don't worry."

Yuri felt admiration for her resolve, but he frowned a little at her unwell appearance, "Don't push yourself too hard." He secured her against him, "If you feel its too much, just say so."

"Okay." Though happy Yuri is worried for her, Estelle felt embarrassed at being treated like a frail girl. She put on a brave face, "Let's hurry, we don't have too much time."

"Don't forget," Rita was quick to remind them, "we still need to light the statue in this tower." She stepped over the dead knights without a second thought, "We can't spend too much time here."

"Um," Karol carefully started while following the others, "why exactly are you guys looking for the statues?"

Raven folded his arms in a sagely fashion, "Because she is the Child of the Full Moon."

"How did you know?" Yuri glanced at Raven suspiciously.

"Raven has great insight." Karol grinned proudly... then frowned in shame.

Raven had taken Judy's hand and fell to one knee. He motioned upwards dramatically, "Rest assured Judy darlin', I, your humble knight Raven, will not let anything bad happen to you." He pointed forward, "Onwards Child of the Full Moon, let us fulfill your destiny!"

WHACK

Raven went rigid when Rita punched him in the forehead, "_Estelle_ is the Child of the Moon you goof!" She snorted and continued to stomp forward, "And keep your cruddy drama to yourself."

"What do you see in her?" Raven looked back at Fen.

The wolf-eared butler shrugged, "I'm a sap for girls that are hot when angry." His tone made it hard to tell if he was serious, or being sarcastic. Everyone allowed a small smile when Estelle laughed softly. Their unspoken intention complete, they focused on making their way deeper into the northern tower. Fen's ears suddenly twitched, "Hm?"

Repede slowed his pace and listened carefully, also hearing something. He barked urgently before dashing ahead.

"What's wrong?" Karol asked while he joined everyone in following Repede.

Yuri drew his sword and made sure Estelle was close, "Just follow him!"

"Whoever did all of this," Fen continued to rush forward, "is still here." Everyone slowed to a stop behind Repede and looked at the person he is growling at. He was dressed in a dark-blue suit with a yellow shirt underneath. His eyes are also dark and his hold a strange smile.

"Ah," He turned to them and held his scythe behind him, "so zhe guests have arrived." He smoothly bowed to them before leaping backwards. With the same amount of grace, he turned and ran into the dimness of the tower, towards a brighter room.

Estelle, stricken by his unfamiliar accent, could only stare at the blood that stained his scythe. Her vision blurred as the Nightingale appeared before her eyes once more. She heard a voice in the distance and felt a strange pull from within her chest. The feeling made her dizzy, but she has grown familiar with these strange happenings. She steadies her feet and takes a calming breath. Her senses return to the sound of Rita beckoning her to follow.

"Sir Whitehorse!" Their pursuit was quickly cut short when a knight with blonde hair and bright, blue eyes rushed into the room. His white rabbit ears swayed when he looked from one side of the room to the other before resting on a set of black rabbit ears, "Yuri!"

Said swordsman rolled his eyes, "My luck gives out at the worst times."

"Did you do all of this!? Answer me Yuri!" The knight put his hand to his sword, ready to draw it. His blue eyes seemed to burn against Yuri, as if holding a long period of resentment. Estelle, however, could see a hint of sadness.

Yuri turned his back to him, "Not now Flynn, kind of in the middle of something here." He waved over his shoulder.

"Friend of yours?" Rita asked with an annoyed scowl. For some reason, this guy's attitude made her angry.

Flynn stepped towards Yuri, "You can't just disregard your punishment Yuri!" He looked at the ones gathered around him, "And to involve more people in your plot, what are thinking!?"

"I said not now." Yuri's expression took on a mix between frustration and indignant anger. Something about the conversation's direction struck a cord within him. He could feel his companions glancing towards him, a bit confused by Flynn's words.

"Um, what plot?" Karol asked the one question Yuri hoped they wouldn't.

Flynn drew his sword and pointed it accusingly at Yuri, "To slay the king of this castle!" All sadness in his eyes vanished, as a fire came to life in his eyes.

"Man you talk too much." Yuri grabbed Estelle's hand and ran ahead, with Repede close behind. Dazed by the accusation, the others also followed, but not before casting doubtful glances towards his back and amongst themselves.

Flynn quickly gave chase, and kept his eyes focused on Yuri. His attention briefly flickered to Estelle, and his eyes widened a little, "What... what is she doing here?" His look of confusion turned into surprise when he heard a familiar cry of pain, "That sounded like," He paused when he heard another scream, "Sodia!" He easily passed Karol and weaved around Raven to trail just behind Fen.

Yuri released Estelle's hand and attacked the scythe-wielding man to get him away from an injured Sodia.

"Hmm," The strangely dressed man held his scythe behind him when he saw the others rush into the room, "time for me to go." He leaped backwards and stepped up into the open window of the tower, "tah tah for now." He smiled mysteriously at them before falling backwards and into the night.

Fen cursed, "The snake got away."

"Sodia!" Flynn immediately caught her when she started to fall. His eyes stared at the large cut in her side and her sword-wielding arm.

"Captain," Sodia weakly acknowledged him, "I-I'm sorry."

"Tell me what happened." Flynn gently pressed. He never delved too deeply into medicine, but he could tell her injuries won't kill her, "Who was that man?"

Sodia painfully grimaced, "H-He said his name is Yeager," She paused to sink down into a sitting position while Flynn supported her, "he killed everyone, even Sir Whitehorse."

Yuri and his friends watched and listened closely. The appearance of someone that strong only added to the list of people they need to take down. Everyone exchanged looks, silently promising to make sure these people will be punished.

Out of everyone, Estelle couldn't take her eyes off of Sodia's injuries. The concern of this Flynn person and the pain Sodia is going through struck something within her. This feeling, unlike the others, is familiar to her.

Once, she had found an injured puppy in the gardens. The poor thing was malnourished and looked like it had been kicked around. She was a little girl back then, but she still knew that it was wrong to just leave the poor animal to suffer. With the help of some of the maids, she took the puppy into her home and nursed it back to health. Her father was very pleased with her, much to the surprise of the younger servants. The feelings she had for that injured puppy are the same she feels now.

"Estelle," Rita called her from her thoughts, "leave her to them." She nodded towards Judy and Flynn as they moved to bandage Sodia's wounds. "You and I will go and activate the statue."

Her face downcast, Estelle nodded. She cast a fleeting glance towards Sodia before approaching the sleeping statue. It was beautifully affixed into the wall and surrounded by white marble. The white statue seemed to glow in the dim room and bathed in moonlight. Her emerald eyes left the visage of the statue and searched the room. In moments, she spotted the fluttering Nightingale.

It circled the room before landing on top of the statue's head. Beating its wings, it began to sing its enchanting song once more.

Closing her eyes, Estelle focused. She recalled the words of that strange voice and looked deep within herself. Before long, she saw a speck of light. She reached out to that speck of light and embraced it. Her grip was light but soon tightened into a firm hold. The Nightingale's song echoed through the darkness around her. In her hand, the speck of light grew brighter and sent a torrent of warmth through her body.

_With this power, bring light to the dim world._

Estelle's eyes shot open. Her head felt light for a moment before she stumbled backwards. However, a pair of arms held her upright. Her cheeks grew red at the familiar closeness, "Y-You again," She spoke breathlessly while her heart's rhythm grew quick and strong.

"Yes it is." Amidst the colorless, motionless atmosphere, the other Yuri held her tight. He smirked mysteriously before gently turning Estelle around to face him, "You're doing great." His smirk faltered when Estelle gently removed herself from his touch.

"Who are you?" Estelle stepped back and kept a good distance between him and herself. She slowly shook her head, "Yuri would never talk to me like that." She bit her lip and looked away from his warm gaze, "He would never touch me like that."

"How do you know?" The other Yuri soberly leaned forward.

Estelle gave him a suspicious look and hugged herself defensively. She felt a tug somewhere within her when his eyes looked a little hurt, "His personality, its so much different from yours."

The other Yuri, the one from her dreams, tilted his head, "Is it?"

"Why do you only appear when I awaken a statue? Why is the Yuri outside of this place so much different from you?" Her voice was strained. It confused her terribly to go back to a Yuri who acts so much different from when she first saw him. Every time she made eye contact, she sees the kisses, the warm embraces, and the soft eyes that don't seem to be his own. It's humiliating when he gives her a confused look, and confusing when he seems to think no more of her than a friend. "Why?"

'Yuri' respected her desire to keep her distance. His eyes softened at her distress. With a gentle voice, he tried to soothe the tears that are building in her eyes, "When Yuri gave up love to come here, he paid a very heavy price."

Estelle's drooped cat-ears perked at his words, "What?"

"Love is the root of a lot of things Estelle." He took a step closer to her. She did not step back, "Without love, we can do nothing more than what we must do." He stepped closer. "Without love, sorrow can easily rule the heart." He smiled and stepped within reach of Estelle, "That's why you are able to see me."

"You're a-"

"Physical manifestation of what Yuri gave up." He leaned down so he was eye-level with Estelle, "You can only see me during these moments because this is when you use your powers." He shrugged, "Heck, you can see the Nightingale, what makes you think you can't see other things?"

"So," Estelle started uneasily, "you are Yuri... in a way?" He nodded. Despite not completely understanding, Estelle smiled. That simple nod was as much as she needed. So when 'Yuri' kissed her, she felt even more warmth than usual. "Wait," Estelle pulled back when another question struck her, "how do you even know me?"

'Yuri' smirked, "Sorry Estelle," He stood up and chuckled, "I can't tell everything this time."

"Why?"

His smirk grew more smug, "I have to give you some reason to awaken the final statue." And with that, the world around her slowly began to move again, and the color slowly returned.

Estelle watched 'Yuri' fade and smiled again. When the strange enchantment faded, her eyes locked with the real Yuri. The moment her emerald eyes met his curious, dark gaze... they were veiled by a thick cloud of smoke. With a loud poof and a flash, the room was filled with smoke. Estelle yelped in surprise when she felt two pairs of arms suddenly grab her.

Rita rubbed her eyes and coughed, "Estelle!" She went to rush towards Estelle.

"Destructive Field!" Yuri's strong cry came before a powerful gust of wind that blew away the smoke. When it cleared, everyone looked at his crouched position, his sword at the center of a shattered tiles. He cursed roughly when he rushed to the window, only to see Estelle being taken away. His eyes focused on the two girls carrying her into the night: one with green hair, the other a fiery red. He cursed again and punched the wall with enough force to crack his knuckles.

Estelle is gone, and with her, the Nightingale.

* * *

* * *

**A/N: Terribly sorry for the late update. I'm afraid updates might slow up now that college is kicking my butt, so I ask for your patience and continued support. Thank you for reading and please review!**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Hello again everybody! Glad to see you are all still checking out this little story of mine. I feel kind of bad for not providing some form of literature for your reading pleasure, so I'm going to suggest my fictionpress account. If you're a fan of my writing and need something to entertain you, feel free to check it out. The pen-name is: J.R. Constantine. Oops, I've taken up too much of your time, please enjoy! One thing, **_**I highly encourage you reread chapter 1 and 2 before reading this.**_

* * *

_A distant wish_

_A banishing song_

_How much time is left?_

_It won't be long_

* * *

**Chapter 10: Strokes of Midnight**

Through her disorientation, Estelle could hardly figure out where she was being taken. Recalling the cool, night air and the feeling of being carried, Estelle soon found herself overlooking the entire castle. Her emerald eyes could not look away from the never-ending abyss that was at the castle's base. Through its mess of towers and cerulean roofs, she spotted a single, dark bridge that ended with a vast expanse of nothing.

The sight reminded her that this place is enchanted. The wind tossing her short hair, Estelle looked up at the moon with equal astonishment. The sky rhythmically moved like water, and the moon shone eerily clear in the night sky. The stars looked distant and dim, but still stuck out from the deep purple and black of the night.

"It seems the Child of the Full Moon has yet to marvel at the true _beauty_ of this place." A smooth voice led Estelle from her thoughts. His silver hair moved with the cool wind, as his lips turned upwards into a small grin. "It is a pleasure." He bowed, but Estelle couldn't tell if it was out of mockery.

Her eyebrows grew close as Estelle frowned in response. She did not speak a word, but turned away to avoid his gaze.

Alexei chuckled at her reaction. "Let the final hour of this wretched world begin." He turned to look at his three underlings, "Go and make sure everything is ready. I don't want anyone to interrupt the rebirth of our world."

The first to turn and leave was Cain. He sniffed the air before turning in his desired direction, "I'll go on ahead."

"Stealing all the fun?" Zagi cast a sarcastic, yet crazed, glance to Cain's back. Images of the knight with blonde hair flashed through his mind, "The blue-eyed one is mine." His grin grew twisted, "He's _all_ mine."

"Zhat one track mind will be your undoing Zagi." The third man spoke sagely. He ran his hand through his dark hair and smiled bitterly, "Vell, I guess we better get going." He looked to his side, "Girlz?"

Two young women quickly followed him, "Coming boss!" They chorused.

Alexei watched the exchange with an amused eye. Loyalty is hard to come by, but when the cause is just right, then you are bound to find some form of assistance, "Very good." He turned his eyes back to Estelle, "Now, Child of the Full Moon," He motioned to the final, dormant statue, "please fulfill your destiny."

"What are you planning to do?" Estelle's voice sounded unnaturally biting. She could tell, just by looking at this man, that he is no good. "I won't help you hurt people!"

The Commandant chuckled at her sharp glare, "You will understand once you fulfill your fate young lady." He firmly grabbed her arm and hoisted Estelle up from her sitting position. With a stern tug, he guided her to the statue, "Time is of the essence, now please."

"No, not if it will hurt people." Estelle objected.

Alexei's small smirk didn't waver. "Look around you." He commanded calmly, "Every moment that passes beings the darkness of this place closer to swallowing this castle." He released her arm and drew the sword at his hip. It was like nothing she's ever seen. It was completely dark with a strange stone near its handle. The fluid craftsmanship of the sword gave it an otherworldly aura, "This sword, Dein Nomos, will carve a new world, a brighter world."

"I already know of a brighter world." Estelle solemnly looked down. She felt a strong, sudden urge to go back to her home. Memories of the warmth and peace of Zaphias pulled at her heart, to the point of tears.

"Do you?" His skeptical tone bit her weary heart.

Estelle looked up, mildly shocked, "Yes, I do." The moment his knowing gaze registered in her mind, Estelle felt her insides go cold. Is it possible, that he knows?

"A sheltered little girl," Alexei chuckled once more, "only a sheltered, innocent girl would see Zaphias as a flawless, shining beacon of peace and tranquility."

"W-What are you talking about?" The shaken girl felt her eyes quiver at his words. Such icy calculation went into every word, and his eyes looked far darker, almost sorrowful. "Who... who _are_ you?"

Alexei erased the sorrow from his eyes and chuckled again, "It is no wonder you do not recognize me." He pointed Dein Nomos towards the sky, "Your father made quite the effort of keeping you far away from the realm of politics."

"My father?" Estelle echoed, breathless.

"He did a marvelous job," Alexei's small smile grew strange, "perhaps too marvelous of a job." He could see confusion on Estelle's pale face, "You grew up so naïve, so oblivious, that you could not piece together the fabric of what's going on around you."

Estelle felt her heart flinch at his calm, biting words, "W-What are you talking about?"

His eyes lingered on her for a fleeting moment before flickering to the bright orb of light ahead of him. His slight scowl softened into his usual, subtle smirk, "It hardly matters Estellise," He motioned towards the statue again, "if you do not bring life to this cold statue, then this entire world, and everyone in it, will be lost to darkness. With every moment, this castle corrode into oblivion."

"Everyone?" Estelle's throat tightened at the thought. She easily recalled the misty shadows that gave birth to savage enemies. She pictured the noble knights being overrun by monsters. Her heart twisted at the thought of those working in the kitchens being massacred by the spawn of darkness. Fear gnawed her mind as she imagined a horrific scene like the north tower happening again.

Her shoulders drooped in submission. Whether it would help this man or not, Estelle needed to fulfill her sacred task. With an encouraging tweet from the Nightingale on her shoulder, Estelle slowly approached the statue.

Unlike the others, this one stood a little taller than her. Its angelic body stood in the middle of the circular platform at the base of the tower's sword-like structure. Its small wings are spread fully, as if ready to ascend beyond the sky. She lightly touched its face and felt a familiar warmth grace the tips of her fingers. Estelle closed her eyes tightly and prayed that Yuri and the others will come soon to stop whatever Alexei is planning.

"Yes," The Commandant urged her, "that's it. Splendid Estellise." He watched with a pleased smile.

When Estelle concentrated on the sphere of light in the darkness, she was shocked to see it had grown bigger. She approached the bright light and embraced it. Her rosy lips curved upwards at the soft feeling against her chest and the calming rhythm of her heart. Her smile only grew when warm arms enveloped her in a hug.

"Good job Estelle," 'Yuri's' voice kissed her ear softly, "you have given back everything this world has taken. What is no longer ours, is ours once more."

Estelle held his arms tightly, "I'm so," Tears stung her eyes, "I'm so confused." She easily fell back against 'Yuri', "Please, please tell me what I need to know." She slowly sank to her knees, "Tell me what I need to do." Images of her father's smiling face only made her heart ache all the more. Alexei planted the seeds of doubt, and it tore Estelle apart to know that she let him.

"Ok."

His single response was followed by a bright flash of light. When the light faded, Estelle found herself surrounded by people in a grand ballroom. She instantly recognized it as the ballroom where Ioder's coronation ceremony had taken place. The warm hue to the room gave life to the colorful dresses of noble women, and the decorated suits of their husbands. "Why am I... here?"

'Yuri' didn't answer. Instead, he guided her gaze upwards.

Estelle saw his eyes grow soft, much like when he looked at her. She followed his eyes to the upper balcony of the ballroom. Much to her shock, Estelle saw herself. Her pink hair easily stuck out from the heads of blonde and brunette hair. Her pure-white dress seemed to speak of her innocence as she soaked in the energy of the crowd. "That's... me."

"You were so beautiful." 'Yuri' spoke as if in a trance, lost in the memory of this very moment. "I could hardly take my eyes off of you the entire night."

"But," Estelle looked down, confused at her own memories of the coronation ball, "I don't remember seeing you," She met 'Yuri's' eyes, "_ever_."

'Yuri' smiled at this. It was a strange smile, full of longing and tenderness. Somehow, it seemed it also pained him to think of that very fact, "I know. I made sure of that." He turned to look into the crowd of people behind him.

Estelle once again followed his gaze and gasped at who she saw. Though finely dressed, she could not mistake the long hair that seemed like the night flowing from him scalp. His strong, dark eyes zeroed in on nobody but her. In the midst of the crowd of nobles, stood Yuri Lowell. Estelle quickly noted the absence of his black bunny ears, and stood stunned at his expression. This Yuri is different from the one she met in the dark castle and the 'Yuri' that speaks to her now. "I don't," Estelle turned to look at 'Yuri', "I don't understand. How-"

'Yuri' signaled for her to continue watching.

The scene's mood subtly shifted as a hand touched the bunny-earless Yuri's shoulder. Estelle recognized the hand to belong to Flynn, he too missing his ears. They exchanged serious words before Yuri told a small joke. They shared a short chuckle before weaving through the crowd and out of Estelle's sight.

Without another thought, Estelle followed them through the crowd and left 'Yuri' behind. Her body passed through the various nobles like a ghost. Her steps slowed from their frantic pace when she saw the two young men walk through the large doors at the ballroom's rear. Estelle swiftly followed and stopped in the next room. With Zaphian engineering, they had managed to build a small garden just beyond the ballroom, a place made to satisfy any queen's need for quaint flowers and fresh air.

At the center of the small garden, Estelle stared in shock at the group gathered. Rita, Karol, Raven, Judy, Sodia, Flynn, Yuri, and even Repede were all gathered there. Another man stood with them, one she hasn't seen before. His gray hair glistened in the moonlight, and violet eyes stared at his friends. Her mind aching from this revelation, she almost missed the events that would follow.

Yuri asked Rita a series of questions to which she gave him a glare and a firm reassurance. The gray haired man's lips parted to say some kind of joke that got a rise out of Rita. Karol laughed loudly before Judy said something that made the mood sober. Yuri gave everyone a look of determination before drawing a dagger. Everyone followed his lead, and as one, they cut their hands. Each allowed a small drop of blood to fall on the symbol perfectly drawn by Rita.

"Oh king of Hod," Estelle suddenly heard Flynn lead their chant, "hear our prayer. Give us passage to your castle, to the cradle of the moon."

Estelle waited, watching like a phantom, unseen and unheard. Her emerald eyes, dazed by this heavy sight, widened when a deep voice spoke back to their prayer.

_I have heard your prayer, youth of Terca Lumireis. What do you sacrifice to enter my castle? The price must be great, or you may not pass._

"That voice," Estelle mumbled, "its the same one I heard... from the Nightingale." Her attention went back to her future friends when they began to speak.

"I sacrifice my courage!" Karol bravely went first.

"My friendship!" Flynn spoke next.

"My secrets." Judy smoothly replied.

"Woof!" Repede quickly sacrificed his title as a noble hound.

Rita glanced at violet-eyed man before speaking, "I give up my memories."

"My heart." He avoided Rita's shocked expression.

Raven scratched his chin before looking to the night sky, "My name."

"My dreams." Sodia said softly.

Yuri allowed a moment of silence, "Love."

The instant that word left his lips, Estellise was thrown back to the castle of Hod, back to the dark castle where her journey began. Shaken, she fell backwards when she came to her senses. When her eyes finally registered her surroundings, she found 'Yuri' missing, "Yuri," She called for him, "where are you?"

Her surroundings are frozen like they are when he is near. However, his usual dark figure is absent from her sight. Turning, she was greeted by the visage of a man she has never seen before. On his shoulder, the white Nightingale is perched calmly. His long, white hair gently swayed in the night wind, and his steady, red eyes stared at her with what looked like indifference.

* * *

"Where did they take her!?" Rita fumed as everyone made their way through the castle. Their backtrack had taken them back down the stairs and into the room that once held the Eggbear and the Golems. Much to their relief, the Eggbear was fast asleep and the Golems long destroyed by it.

Judy tried to soothe the stressed mood, "Screaming won't get us any closer to finding her." She looked to Yuri, "Where did you see them take her?"

"Towards the central tower, above the throne room." He almost anticipated for someone to chime in. When they did not, Yuri stopped his brisk stride to look at their group, "Where's Fen?"

Raven scratched his head, "Hmm, I could've sworn he came down with us."

"Should some of us go look for him?" Karol glanced around carefully. His legs shivered at the idea of some unseen monster snatching them up one-by-one.

"Forget that mutt." Rita snorted, "He probably ran off to bury a bone or something."

"Woof!" Repede barked sharply.

"I hardly consider burying bones an art-form." Rita gave Repede a roll of the eyes before walking forwards once more, "Estelle is more important than Fen anyway, let's go."

Yuri slowly followed with everyone else, "Harshly put, but Rita does have a point." He justified as they navigated the shadowy paths of the castle. After a series of turns and long hallways, they reached the large doors of the throne room. Yuri and Raven pushed the heavy doors open, giving them entry into the dark chamber.

Judy's pink eyes grew narrow when she saw the two men occupying the throne room. Her gaze focused on the pair of blue eyes that stood next to eyes of crimson. At the center of the throne room, Fen stood next to Cain.

"What the hell?" Rita growled.

Fen simply removed his silver pocket-watch and nodded, "It's time." He looked over to Cain and offered his hand.

"What was once lost shall be ours once more." Cain faced Fen and took the offered hand in his own. With the loud chime of midnight, their bodies began to glow. Slowly, their separate, glowing silhouettes became one. When the light faded, a single man with gray hair and violet eyes stood between the heroes, and the stairs that led to Estelle.

* * *

* * *

**A/N: Pumped that out on time, I'm proud of myself! Anyway, wow that was some twist though huh? Who would have guessed that Yuri and the gang are from the same world as Estelle? And just who is the man with long white hair? The end is drawing near, as midnight has just been struck! Please review, and thank you for reading!**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Finally, I get a chance to have some fun and write another chapter of this story! I hope you enjoy it as much as I love writing it. Have fun!**

**Shameless Plug: Check out the ****Reaching for Vesperia**** forum, and help this fic section grow!**

* * *

_You can steal my home_

_You can steal my freedom to choose_

_But my heart is mine_

_It is mine alone_

* * *

**Chapter 11: King of Hearts**

The dim throne room of the enchanted castle seemed to bristle as the clocks of the castle chimed midnight. The shadows squirmed and shifted slowly as the light of the moon grew brighter. The time has come, and the throne of the king knows it.

"Fen," Yuri harshly stared into the violet eyes of his friend, "what are you doing?"

Fen did not give him an answer. Instead, he faced his shoulder towards Yuri and the others. A single stroke of moonlight made his eyes flash mysteriously.

"So that's how it is." Raven chuckled, humored by the fact that such an obvious connection missed his notice.

Karol looked at him in confusion, "What do you mean?" He looked back at Fen, "What's going on?"

Yuri ignored their questions, "Fenderick!" He roared in outrage when Fen did not move. His silence was more potent than anything he could have said. His silence only awakened the fears Yuri had about Fen since the very beginning. He drew his sword and got ready to fight the man who used to be their ally.

"Hold on!" Karol cried, still confused by the situation. He looked at Judy and saw that she too had drawn her black spear. "Y-You can't be serious." He laughed weakly.

"Does it look like a joke to you." Rita growled, "I should've known that mutt is nothing but a snake!" She felt a strange pull within her, but readied her spells regardless. Her eyes met Fen's with a strange rage. Remembering Estelle, Rita spun around to begin forming her magic arte, but when she finished the circle at her feet, she saw nothing but the violet of Fen's eyes.

"Rita!" Yuri looked back, shocked by Fen's unreal speed. He had dashed straight to the cat-eared maid within a blink of an eye.

Fen took Rita by the wrist swiftly and tripped her with a fluid swipe of his leg. Seamlessly, he had left the maid on the ground and went for Karol. Before the boy could draw his large weapon, Fen grabbed the handle of Karol's sword and tossed him towards Judy.

Judy side-stepped Karol, but was too slow to catch Fen before he weaved through Raven's arrows. She watched as he blocked Repede's knives, leaped over the hound, and punched through Yuri's Azure Edge.

Cursing when he saw his arte shatter, Yuri tried to put distance between him and Fen by using a Ghost Wolf. Fen's speed, however, proved greater than his. The brawling butler ducked under the first strike and narrowly weaved around the second strike. Yuri grunted in pain when Fen delivered a powerful punch to his gut.

"Back off!" Judy caught Fen with a Crescent Moon, and forced him back with uneven footing. The moment Fen did get his footing back, a series of Fireballs struck him in his arm.

"One against six isn't the best odds for you." Raven smirked while he slipped in to use his short blade to push Fen back even further. Fen side-stepped his first swipe and countered by sweeping his leg low. Raven leaped over his leg and brought his blade downwards. Just like Raven wanted, Fen flipped back near the throne, "Rita!"

"O frozen blade, fly sharply across the heavens!" Rita twirled around to form the sphere of azure symbols around her. She opened her palm towards a stunned Fen, "Freeze Lancer!" She felt the familiar surge of magic course through her before a barrage of icy blades shot towards Fen. Through the icy winds that drove her arte, she saw the violet eyes of Fen once more. Time slowed to halt, as a voice spoke in her ear.

_What was once yours, I shall give back to you_

A flood of images passed through Rita's eyes, showing her the memories that she had sacrificed. She saw those violet eyes look at her softly. She saw a talk by moonlight, a secret meeting between two young hearts. She heard Fen's voice tell her all she deserved to know. She saw a young man who had everything taken from. She saw a man who no longer had anything to call his own.

When the scene of her Freezing Lancer continued once more, she dropped to her knees. Her eyes watched as the attack tore into Fen and sent him flying into the empty throne with a dull thud. His body, limp from the solid impact, filled the throne. Now filled with a sudden burst of concern, Rita watched as Fen struggled to move.

"You're done Fen," Yuri stood over Fen's slouched form, "this fight is over." Yuri placed his sword on his shoulders in case Fen felt like struggling some more.

The wolf-eared butler coughed before smirking bitterly, "Did you have to hit me so hard?" He chuckled at his own bad joke. His violet eyes slowly blinked and looked towards Rita, "I've done my duty to that blasted man." He nodded his head towards the door to his left, "Go and save Estelle."

Karol shook his head, "But why? What duty are you talking about?" His shaken stutter was gone, and his posture was stronger. His bravery has returned.

"I was hoping you wouldn't ask that question." Fen's bitter smirk remained as he leaned his head back and closed his eyes.

"He's your father." Rita spoke with stoic clarity. Her eyes grew sympathetic when she saw Fen's face scrunch in disgust, "You told me before we came to this world, at Ioder's coronation." She looked at Yuri, "You knew too, didn't you?"

Judy focused her gaze on Fen, "That certainly is a surprise."

"Yeah, heard Alexei married the widowed wife of the Marketing Guild." Raven sighed and shook his head, "That man certainly does know how to make a mess of things."

Fen's violet eyes slowly opened, "Are we going to sit here and talk about how despicable Alexei is, or are you going to go and save Estelle?"

"You're not coming?" Judy calmly started to the door after her failed attempt as sounding concerned.

"I would, but I forgot Rita can throw a mean Freeze Lancer." Fen flinched when he tried to move, "I'm stuck here." Relaxing, he leaned his head back again and closed his eyes, "I'll see you guys on the other side." He heard their footsteps echo as they left the room. In moments, he was left alone with the gathering black fog.

* * *

Estelle blinked, astonished by the man standing before her. She licked her lips before nervously speaking to the stoic man with long, white hair, "W-Who are you?" She watched as he offered his finger as a perch for the Nightingale. When the glowing bird hopped onto his offered finger, he held it out towards Estelle.

"I have been your guide from the beginning." The glowing Nightingale dissolved into a shower of sparkles before disappearing, "I am Duke, king of this castle."

"You're the king of Hod?" Estelle quickly bowed respectfully, "I-I'm sorry for intruding Your Majesty, I uh, kind of stumbled into your world and I-" She stopped her ramblings when Duke held up his hand.

"Was I not the one who brought you here?" Duke looked up to the moon in the enchanted sky, "It was the will of the Full Moon to bring you here." He looked down to meet her emerald eyes, "I should be the one thanking you, for your bravery."

Estelle dipped her head, slightly embarrassed by his words, "But why me?" She looked towards the castle as she thought of Yuri, "There were other people more fit to do this."

Duke's red eyes slowly looked back up at the moon, "It is not our place to question fate's reasons for giving us the roles we are handed." He closed his eyes, silently digressing, "Estellise," He looked at her once more, "I must ask one more thing from you." She straightened attentively, "Dein Nomos is the symbol of my power as king of Hod, without it, I cannot fight the darkness that consumes this place."

"You want me to retrieve it."

"By any means possible." Duke pointed to the glowing sphere that still floated just above the ground, "Drive it into that sphere, and please hurry."

Estelle's eyes grew concerned, "How much time is left before Hod falls apart?"

He closed his eyes and sensed his floating island, "Not much time."

"But," Estelle looked at the motionless Alexei, "how am I supposed to defeat him? I'm not strong enough on my own."

Duke closed his eyes and held back an exasperated sigh, "Have you forgotten so soon Estellise?" He opened his eyes to give her a firm look, "I have been at your side since you began this journey, and I will be at your side until its end." He held out his hand and swiped it off to the side. A sudden rush of light gave birth to a glowing sword that levitated just below his open palm, "Allow me to be your sword and shield."

"My sword and shield." Estelle echoed his words. She felt a protest form in her mind. Before she could voice them, she recalled the guidance Duke had given her as the Nightingale. Her power as the Child of the Full Moon has taken her this far, who's to say she can't do it? Breathing deeply, Estelle held her hand out towards Duke, "Okay."

"I leave it in your hands." Duke stepped to Estelle and placed his hand on her head.

The cat-eared girl shut her eyes when light flooded her vision. It was only for a brief moment, however, as the world around her began to move once more.

"Nicely done Estellise." Alexei's smug tone sounded from behind her, "Thanks to you, I can finally fulfill my vision for Zaphias." He looked down from the sky and to Estelle only to see her glaring at him. Alexei smirked mockingly, "Such a sour expression is unbecoming of a lady of your upbringing Estellise."

Estelle's eyes grew firm, "I won't let you get away with this." Her frown deepened when Alexei chuckled.

"Oh please Estellise," Alexei tilted his head, "in the grand scheme of things, you're nothing but a tool to be used at the right time." He gripped Dein Nomos, "And I do believe you have exhausted your usefulness." He steadily approached her before lunging out to stab her in the chest.

Estelle raised her arm just before Dein Nomos came too close. A flash of light blocked the dark sword, giving Estelle a chance to swipe with her other hand.

In shock, Alexei barely managed to leap backwards, only suffering a shallow cut to the armor on his chest. His dark eyes wide, he examined Estelle, "What kind of trick is this?" He watched in confusion as Estelle began to cast her powerful spells.

"Holy Rain!"

Alexei cursed and looked upwards. Just as he feared, a heavy rain of light began to pelt the entire platform where they stood. He swiftly blocked the beams of light that came near him, but it opened his for attack. When he caught sight of a blur of pink, Alexei swung Dein Nomos.

"Gah," Estelle cried out as she was thrown against the high walls that lined one side of the platform. She tried to gasp, but Alexei's sudden hold on her throat prevented her from breathing.

"You insolent little girl." Alexei's calm voice held malice and a seething anger, "You should learn your place in this world." He readied Dein Nomos to strike her for the final time, but was thrown back by yet another flash of light.

While Estelle dropped to her knees, coughing, Alexei observed the white outline of a long-haired figure as it slowly faded.

Alexei's knowing smirk returned, "I see." He stood up and readied Dein Nomons once more, "Rise Child of the Full Moon," He pointed the dark sword towards Estelle, "let us see how your power compares to mine."

* * *

"How many stairs does one place need?" Raven breathlessly whined at the seemingly endless, winding steps of the tower. As the neared the summit of the tower, however, his tired expression became more alert, "I figured we wouldn't just waltz right over to Estelle."

Karol looked back, "What do you mean Raven?"

"He means that someone is _obviously_ going to be standing in our way." Rita quickly clarified after shooting Karol an annoyed glare.

"Yeah," Yuri continued to climb the stairs, "and I think I know who." He dashed into the next room and stopped to stare knowingly at the man before him. His friends standing at his back, Yuri addressed the scythe wielding Yeager and his two assistants, "Just our luck, I was right."

Yeager twirled his scythe and turned his back to Yuri and the others, "Tisk, tisk, and here we are welcoming you with open arms." He looked at the two girls at his sides, "Gauche, Droite, shall we welcome them properly?"

Both girls drew their swords, "It would be our pleasure boss."

* * *

"Hang on Sodia, only a little bit further." Flynn's hold on Sodia tightened as he carried her towards the infirmary of the castle. He managed to patch her injuries for now, but she still needed to be looked at. His thoughts focused back on the woman leaning heavily on his shoulder when she shifted.

Sodia weakly stopped Flynn from walking forward and pointed into the darkness, "C-Captain."

"What is it?" Flynn followed her finger and immediately drew his sword. Sloppily working with only one arm, Flynn blocked the flash of two daggers and staggered towards the wall. He swiftly parried another strike and glared into the murderous eyes that met him, "You!"

Zagi grinned, "Hello, Flynn Scifo!"

* * *

**A/N: Finally done with this chapter. Terribly sorry about the long absence. School is a time consumer. I hope you enjoyed it, please feel free to leave a review and please visit my forum Reaching for Vesperia when you have some time.**


End file.
